


Overboard

by Biekewieke



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Background GingerRose, Benjamin Organa-Skywalker the Third is a prick, Deception, F/M, Han and Leia and Lucy are NOT parental figures!!!, I am terrible at this whole tag-thing, Illegal adoption / foster parenting, Lies, Major Character Injury, OOC sometimes, Overboard, Sexual intimidation hinted at, Slow Burn, Temporary Amnesia, The OT heroes are depicted as children, Workplace Harassement, background finnpoe - Freeform, movie adaption, single parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:15:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 29,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27022591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Biekewieke/pseuds/Biekewieke
Summary: Rey Kenobi is a single mom of three, who works double shifts to make ends meet.Ben Organa-Skywalker is a rich snob who hires her to clean his party barge, making her life difficult and fouls her mood.After a freak accident throws him overboard and Rey ends up saving his life.When he wakes up, it turns out he has amnesia.Rey sees it as the ultimate answer to all her prayers. She gets to take his arrogant ass down a peg or two AND she has someone to help around the house and with the kids for a while.She knows it's dangerous and that the repercussions are bound to shake up her life, but she is willing to ignore those little details.After all, how bad can it get???loosely based on the motion picture "Overboard" from 1987 and its 2018 remake
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 17
Kudos: 46
Collections: To Rapture the Earth and the Seas: the 2020 Reylo Fanfiction Anthology





	1. Chapter 1: The setup

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! 
> 
> I am so excited about this story!  
> It is the story that got me out of my creative slump, so to speak.  
> In these dire times, it has become painstakingly clear that we all need an escape from reality from time to time.  
> I am very grateful for our lovely community, and am delighted to share my means of escape with you. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

****

****

  
  


Rey Kenobi was trying to see the bright side. 

She really was.    
The problem was that she was just so damned tired. All the time… 

Nevertheless, she had no choice. So, she readjusted the strap of her sensible yet worn sandals for the thousandth time and straightened her shoulders. With her head held high, she approached the large white party barge for yet another pillar of the rich-and-famous-society.    
  


“Hello!” she called out. “Permission to board?”

In less than thirty seconds, a large figure appeared. Rey lifted her hand to shield her eyes from the glaring sun and her mouth dropped at the mere sight. She’d seen plenty of rich folks, but this…

The man at the railing was definitely impressive. 

  
Tall, with broad shoulders clad in an obviously expensive dark shirt that stretched across an equally broad chest. His lush, near-black hair reached the collar of said shirt and curled just over the edge. One of his hands was tucked in his front pocket, and the other,sporting a Breitling watch that was probably worth more than Rey’s house and car put together, held a glass of amber liquid. Even from this distance, Rey could clearly see the disdain that pulled at the corners of a very beautiful and almost sensual mouth.

Despite the Ray-bans on his face, she could almost feel the way his eyes roamed over her from top to bottom. It wasn’t exactly appreciative. 

“Who wants to board?”

His voice was… 

_ Wow  _

It was deep and seductive and made goosebumps rise on her flesh. A voice like that immediately made Rey think of tangled sheets and sun-kissed, sweat-slicked skin.    
It should be illegal for any man to have a voice like that. 

She was thrown off for a second, and stood there tongue-tied. Mr. Tall, Dark and Imposing didn’t seem fazed in the least. 

“Well?” he asked, his tone denigrating. 

It was enough to shake her from her embarrassing daydream. 

“Good afternoon sir!” she cried out. “My name is Rey Kenobi. I was sent by Clean ‘n Dream.”

The man lifted his chin and Rey could feel his glare all the way down to where she was standing. 

“It’s about time you showed up. I made that call two hours ago.”

Rey’s hackles were instantly raised, but she prided herself on her professionalism. “I’m sorry Sir, I came as soon as I could.” 

She could hear his sigh, even over the sound of the waves. 

“Very well. Come on board. Mitaka will show you around and give you instructions.”

  
With that he appeared to be done with the conversation. He turned away, and shouted “Mitaka” at the top of his lungs. Then he walked off, sipping his drin. 

Rey took it as her cue and walked up the ramp. She boarded the boat - or was it a ship? - and stood there less than ten seconds when a slender man appeared. His dark hair shone like a halo in the sunlight and his dark beady eyes sparkled with mischief. 

“Miss Kenobi?” 

The steward had a delightful British lilt, and Rey instantly felt better. She had no fond memories of her early childhood in London, but this young man’s voice made her think of picnics in the countryside and leisurely strolls along the coast on cloudy days. 

He walked towards her and stretched his hand out in greeting.

  
“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. My name is Dopheld Mitaka, Mr. Organa-Skywalker’s steward. I hope the wait hasn’t been too…” his voice trailed off and the hint of a smile played with the corners of his mouth, “uncomfortable?” 

  
There was a twinkle in his eyes and she heard the very words he wasn’t saying. 

  
_ I hope my boss wasn’t too much of a dick. _

“No, of course not, Mr Mitaka,” Rey replied with an easy smile. 

“Very well!” The Brit squared his shoulders and clasped his hands together. “Shall we then? I ought to show you where to find everything and let you get started at once.”

Rey nodded and simply followed him inside. 

The boat was larger than her house. She was taken below deck to the maintenance area, where she got the entire explanation on which product to use where. 

  
“Specific orders from Mr Organa-Skywalker,” Mitaka said. 

  
Rey simply rolled her eyes and sighed and then got down to the task of fulfilling an endless list of chores. 

She had already completed over half of her to-do list in less than an hour, not wanting to put her friend Rose - the owner of the cleaning company Clean ‘n Dream - to shame. 

Rose had gone out on a limb in granting her this job, knowing full well that Rey had a rough time juggling her job as a mechanic at Poe and Finn’s body shop “Rust and Resistance” and taking care of the kids. But in the end, it was that same thing that had made her hire Rey after all. 

Rey stood back for a moment and pushed her hair from her face. It had gotten loose from her buns and was now a messy disarray of soft waves. She moved into the next room with a deep sigh and was frozen in place. She was surprised to find Mr. Tall Dark and Taciturn lounging on a recliner. Still wearing his sunglasses. Still holding his drink. 

  
_ Was he sleeping? _

  
“Are you going to start doing your job, or are you going to stand there and gawk? Because I’m not paying you a dime if you don’t do what you’re hired to do.” 

  
His deep voice, the one that had initially lent itself to sensual images in her mind earlier, was now cold and dripping with disdain and contempt.

  
Rey watched as he lifted one large, manicured hand, and slid the Ray-Bans from his face. Her eyes widened as she took him in fully for the first time.    
  


His face was oddly angular and yet it seemed as if it were chiseled perfectly. A long, straight nose, prominent cheekbones, and a strong chin. Those lush lips of his were almost sinful. Yet nothing could have prepared Rey for the first time she saw his eyes.    
  


They were dark and fathomless. The intensity of his gaze was almost scorching and it seemed as if he could see right through her, right down to her very soul. 

  
Rey only barely managed to keep herself somewhat composed, to keep her mouth from opening in surprise and her jaw from dropping. The man was breathtakingly handsome in a totally non-conventional way. 

She straightened and squared her shoulders as his barb seemed to penetrate her muddled mind. 

  
“I am sorry, sir,” she began softly. “I simply didn’t expect to find you here.” She averted her eyes briefly and added in a polite and professional tone. “Would you prefer me to clean another room instead?”

The man before her looked her up and down slowly, his gaze lingering here and there, before he spoke in a decidedly bored tone. 

  
“No, it’s fine. Just get on with it,” he said with a sigh and flipped his sunglasses back down on his nose. 

  
Rey gave him a small nod, even though she suspected he wasn’t paying her any attention anymore. 

  
She started tidying up his room, which was near perfection anyway. All she had to do was straighten the covers on his bed, plump a pillow here and there, and dust and vacuum a little. 

  
It all happened under the watchful eye of Benjamin Organa-Skywalker, hoity-toity rich boy. He took a long swig of his drink, finishing it and plunking it down on the small table next to him. Then he rose from his seat, straightening to his full height. 

  
_ Damn, the man is tall.  _

  
He took his sunglasses off and walked over to the built-in wardrobe. He slid open the door and started taking off his shirt.    
  


When he pushed it off his shoulders and proceeded to take off his pants, Rey froze in her tracks. She made a sound in the back of her throat and it made the man look over his shoulder. Rey was transfixed with how his hair moved and bounced across a very well-muscled shoulder and with a series of birthmarks shaped like Orion’s Belt right beneath the edge of where his pants hung on his hip.

  
“Something the matter, Miss Kenobi?” he drawled with a raised brow. 

  
Shaken by his deep voice, Rey jumped slightly. “I…”

  
“You’ve never seen a shirtless man before?” he asked as he turned around to face her, his arms folded across a vast expanse of smooth skin. His every word was laced with disdain and mockery, and it raised every single hair on Rey’s head. 

  
“Of course I have,” she snapped. “However, I do feel like I should remind you that undressing in front of your employees, Mr Organa-Skywalker, is very bad form and could be deemed as sexual harassment.” 

His eyebrows lifted in surprise and his dark gaze became even more piercing than before. “Is that so?” he asked as he narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. “Are you threatening me, Miss Kenobi?” he asked quietly. 

“No, sir,” she murmured softly, unable to look away from those dark, piercing eyes. “Only stating facts.” 

  
He let out a low hum in response. He turned around, grabbed a pair of swimming trunks, and then wordlessly proceeded towards the ensuite bathroom, closing the door with a loud - and quite demonstrative - bang. 

  
The moment that door closed, Rey felt as if she could breathe again. The air in that large suite had felt incredibly thin, suffocating her slowly. Rey quickly went about her business, moving about the room swiftly and doing whatever she could in order to finish with this suite and this boat and get home to pick up the kids on time. 

The man was insufferable, even more so than other rich folks who came through their little coastal town on their party barges and pleasure cruises. He was an asshole. 

  
_ Yep. That was it. He was an asshole. _

Before she even had the time to contemplate what her evening would look like tonight, the asshole was back. He wore nothing except those skimpy swim boxers that left almost nothing to the imagination. 

Rey almost swallowed her tongue. 

  
The guy might be an asshole, but he sure was a gorgeous one! 

  
He reminded her of a greek god, with his smooth pale skin like marble that made his muscle structure even more defined. Rey nearly forgot her own name for a moment or two. Until he opened his mouth again. 

“Still here?” he said with a raised brow. “In that case, I suggest you tackle the bathroom next. Make sure you also clean in the corners and underneath the cannisters. I’ll know if you try to cut corners. I’ll not tolerate it. And don’t take all day.” 

  
He walked out of the room without looking back. 

  
Rey was fuming. Damn, the man might be gorgeous, but he was so insufferably arrogant, it was a surprise he had anyone left working for him.    
  


But what choice did she have? She couldn’t risk walking out on his presumptuous ass. That would have consequences for Rose and Clean ‘n Dream. She couldn’t do that to her friend; she’d worked too hard to get her company off the ground and have a modicum of success.    
So, Rey bit back her thoughts and got to business, working as hard and as fast as she could. 

  
She managed to get the job done in under an hour.    
  


Rey went back to the galley to find Mitaka and discuss the rest of the job. She would have to be back tomorrow to finish cleaning the upper levels and go through the rest of the boat again. They agreed on a time and then Rey left as if the devil were on her heels. 

  
When she reached the pier, she felt as if she were being watched. She glanced back and saw Mr. Organa-Skywalker leaning against the railing, sipping some type of cocktail and staring at her from behind his sunglasses. 

  
Her mouth flattened in annoyance but she decided to be a good sport, for Rose’s sake. So she gave him a wide smile and little wave before turning back and heading for her car. 

—--   
Rey was back home just in time to meet the school bus. 

  
The tiny little town of Takodana was miles away from where Rey’s home was, yet the community spirit seemed to include her anyway.    
It was a sleepy little town, the kind that only the word “picturesque” would describe well. Everyone knew everyone, the sick or grieving were offered comfort in the form of casseroles and baked goods. Maz Kanata had been the local mayor since the town had been established, or so it seemed.    
It was just the quintessential rural town and Rey loved it.    
  


Rey’s house was perched on a tiny little slope near the coast. The small cottage-like building was pretty isolated, but that was one of the reasons Rey had chosen it. It was close to a small stretch of beach that hardly anyone knew about, with a small patch of forest in the back. The best of both worlds, Rey often thought. 

  
Rey’s love for the ocean was immense, and it soothed her in a way nothing ever could.    
The cottage itself was rather dilapidated, but Rey was working as hard as she could to get the work done. But between juggling two jobs to make ends meet and taking care of the kids, she was a little short on time to do the necessary renovations. 

_ Not to mention money. _   
  
Rey’s thoughts were halted when the kids walked her way. Little Lucy came running towards her, her arms outstretched and a huge grin on her face. 

“Mommy!” she yelled as she flung herself at Rey’s legs. 

“Well, hello little princess. You seem happy today.” Rey’s face lit up in the light of the eight-year old’s exuberance. 

  
“That’s ‘cause I am!”

  
The other two kids seemed a little less enthusiastic, but still smiled as they got closer. 

  
“Hey, you two.” Rey said as she kissed them on their foreheads. 

  
“Hey mom.” Han’s face grew sullen in a heartbeat and Rey knew exactly what was wrong. 

“What did you do this time?” she asked with a deep sigh. 

“The dumbass got into another fight.” Leia’s voice was filled with teenage outrage and contempt.    
  


Rey rolled her eyes and prepared herself for the inevitable fight that would ensue. 

  
“It’s not my fault!” Han protested loudly, turning towards Leia with his usual spirit. “Lando kept taunting me, telling me how we’re deadbeats and white trash.”   
  
“No, he said  _ you  _ were a deadbeat and white trash. And only because you called him a stuck-up country club buffoon.” 

Rey sighed and prayed in silence. This was bound to happen sooner or later. She’d hoped it would be later.  _ Much later. _

  
“Alright, stop fighting. We’ll discuss this after supper. Let’s get inside the house first.” 

  
Rey ushered the kids inside and got around to fixing their evening meal while the kids did their homework. After the meal was over and the dishes were done, no one breathed another word about the incident at school. 

  
Rey prayed to the Maker that things would stay quiet for a little longer. The last thing she needed right now was even more stress and a possible investigation to the children’s parentage. 

Her phone started buzzing in her pocket. The ringtone told her who it was without having to look at the caller-ID. She took it from her pocket and hit the accept button without hesitation. 

“Hey Rosie, pockets full of posies.”

  
“Hey Rey, a drop of golden sun!” the woman on the other end of the line replied without a pause. “So…” her cheerful bubbly voice said excitedly. “How did it go?” 

  
“Ugh... “ Rey let out a muffled groan. “Do you have an hour or two?” she asked ruefully. 

“Sure thing!” Rose replied with a smile in her voice. “Let me get my bottle of wine and I’m all yours.” 


	2. Chapter 2: the accident

Rey was back on the ship the next day. 

  
Benjamin Organa-Skywalker, asshole extraordinaire, was entertaining several people on the upper deck. Mostly female, young, nubile, and bronzed in size two at most without any tan lines.

  
Why it irked Rey, she didn’t quite know., but it did. 

  
It always rubbed her the wrong way whenever she was near the rich suckers, but this particular rich sucker seemed to elicit strong reactions from her. It had nothing to do with the fact that the man was gorgeous. 

  
Rey was not one for superficial things and pretty exteriors. That was one of the reasons she hadn’t found her other half yet. She had high standards.

_ Really high. _

No mere mortal had ever been able to live up to them, but she’d still had such a huge desire to have children for as long as she could remember. Growing up in the system, it had been her lifelong dream to “save” as many children from that life as she could. But in order to do that, she’d needed to be married. 

  
So Rey had done something that most people would frown upon.    
In fact, it was highly illegal.   
She had forged a wedding certificate to a “Ben Solo”. She’d come up with the name thanks to google translate and using the term ‘I am solo’. In Dutch, apparently that translated to “Ik ben solo”. She’d gone with that as the name of her non-existing husband, and made him a Marine. That way she could say he was deployed most of the time and no one would be the wiser. 

  
Yet, somehow, in her dreams last night, she’d imagined Ben Solo again as her dream-husband, and this time, he looked suspiciously like Benjamin Organa-Skywalker. She’d woken up confused, oddly aroused, and even more exhausted than usual. 

  
Listening to that deep voice laughing and telling jokes, hearing those brainless boat bunnies giggle at every other word he said, and knowing they were enjoying every luxury of life while she was downstairs working her fingers to the bone really irritated the daylights out of Rey. 

  
She also couldn’t keep the annoying thoughts from her mind as she worked. She cleaned his shower and imagined who would share it with him. As she changed the dark satin sheets on his bed, she wondered which of those airhead barbie dolls would end up between them. No surprise that she stomped out of Benjamin Organa-Skywalker’s private quarters feeling grumpy and in a foul mood. 

  
She took the stairs up and turned the corner, carrying her pail of dirty suds. She slammed right into the very impressive back of her client, sloshing half the content of her bucket over his legs. The women started laughing and tittering at her expense. 

  
Rey froze in her tracks and gasped in horror. Mr. Tall Dark and Impossible turned around slowly and his glare pierced her like a lance. 

  
Rey could do nothing but stare up at him for a few long moments, tongue-tied and embarrassed to her very core. When she finally found her voice again, she rambled as if there was no tomorrow. 

“I am so sorry, Mr Skywalker-Organa! I’m so very sorry! I didn’t see you and I wasn’t expecting you to be standing just around the corner and… Oh gosh, I’m so sorry. I’ll take care of it right away — ” 

She bent down to put the bucket on the floor and wring out her mop but his icy words halted her mid-way. 

“Back. Off.” 

Rey looked up and…  _ Oh, why did he have to be so bloody tall? _

“Excuse me?” 

“I said,” he spoke, articulating every word perfectly as he slowly took off his sunglasses, “back off.” He put his hands on his hips, unwillingly drawing her attention to his low-slung shorts and his very nicely chiseled abs. 

  
“Since you arrived here yesterday, Miss Kenobi, you have caused me nothing but grief. You have behaved obnoxiously since boarding my boat, with your sloppy appearance and your incessant humming and your less than mediocre work skills.” 

  
Rey’s eyes all but bugged out of her sockets at the way he was putting her down in front of his guests, who were all watching her as if she were some trailer trash on next week’s episode of “catfished”. 

  
“Someone must have clearly taken pity on you and given you this job as a charity case, because there is no way you would have been able to land this job on good credentials.”

Rey could feel her face start to flame in both embarrassment and anger.  _ Who did this yahoo think he was?  _ She was about to say something when he cut her to the quick. 

“Don’t bother replying, Miss Kenobi, it won’t make a lick of difference. You're fired. Please get your belongings and leave my ship at once. I’ll make sure to let your agency know what I think of your…” he eyed her up and down and cocked a brow, “services.” He started to turn away, but halted abruptly. “Oh, and my name is Benjamin Organa-Skywalker. The first. You can’t even get that right. How quaint.”

  
Rey was fuming. She couldn’t believe the arrogance of this guy. But she couldn’t risk Rose’s business. 

  
“Very well, Mr Organa-Skywalker. I apologize.” She lifted her chin in defiance, and had to swallow every little bit of her pride. “But if you don’t mind, I’d rather clean up this mess before I go. It’s the least I can do, Sir.” 

  
She watched as he narrowed his eyes ever so slightly and ignored the snickers behind her. 

  
“If you insist.” He flicked the water off his leg and put his sunglasses back on, turning his back on her with an air only rich, privileged men could pull off. 

Rey watched as he sauntered off and didn’t even glance her way again. Some of the beach bunnies kept looking at her while they talked behind their hands, laughing and giggling, while others ignored her completely and were all over Organa-Skywalker. 

  
Rey couldn’t stand the sight anymore and turned her back to them, quickly taking care of the puddles she’d made on the deck. She took care of those easily and professionally, if only to prove that presumptuous ass wrong. 

  
She went below deck, put all the cleaning things away, and got her stuff. Suddenly, she couldn’t get off the boat quick enough. Tears of anger and humiliation pricked the back of her eyes and she was trembling with the onslaught of emotions she was holding back. 

  
As Rey slung her purse over her shoulder and walked up the stairs, she almost ran into Mitaka. 

“Oh! Hello there!” Rey uttered, a bit flustered

  
“Miss Kenobi.” Mitaka looked down at her with a curious look on his face, almost as if he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure if he should. “Leaving so soon, Miss?” he asked politely. 

Rey let out a tiny chuckle, oddly embarrassed. “Yes, Mr Mitaka, I am afraid I have already overstayed my welcome. Your employer seems very discontent with my services.” 

“Ah.” Mitaka’s eyebrows lifted and his eyes widened. His mouth pulled down and he gave her an apologetic look. His features scrunched up and he let out a deep breath. 

  
“I do apologize, Miss Kenobi,” he started softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “Mr. Organa-Skywalker is a … complicated man.” 

The steward studied his hands as he wrung them together and Rey could tell he was having a hard time with whatever thoughts were running through his mind. “He is not as terrible as he appears,” Mitaka said in a soft voice as he stepped a little closer. 

  
“Well, he certainly hides it well,” Rey said with clenched teeth and color high on her cheeks.    
“Your employer is an awful excuse for a human being, and I hope one day karma bites him on his behind! Now if you will excuse me, Mr. Mitaka, it was a pleasure working with you.” 

  
Rey turned around and took two steps before she noticed Benjamin Organa-Skywalker standing a few feet away. The way his mouth flattened and the slight color on his cheeks along with the mocking look in his dark eyes indicated that he had heard her. 

  
Rey ignored him and lifted her chin as she walked down the ramp that led out unto the pier.    
The boat started its massive engines, the sound drowning out her own incoherent thoughts about unemployment, the kids’ upcoming school play she had to sew costumes for, the bills that would have to go unpaid this month, and the endless search for another side job. 

  
“Oh, Miss Kenobi?”

The sound of that deep, sensual voice made her stop in her tracks. She looked back and for the first time saw him grin. 

  
“Yes, sir?” she asked with a frown. 

  
The look on that breathtaking face turned downright malicious. “Mind. The. Gap.”

Rey frowned even more at the way he pronounced each word crystal clear. 

Everything became very clear when, without further warning, the ramp was suddenly retracted and Rey fell into the water. 

  
Laughter reached her ears once she got her head above water again. Sputtering, she looked up and saw the obnoxious socialite mocking her, with a rather sad looking Mitaka beside him. 

“I told you to mind the gap!“ he shouted in between snickers. “Have a dismal life, Miss Kenobi!”

Rey let out an agitated scream and slapped her hand on the water’s surface. “I hate you! I hope karma teaches you a goddamned lesson!” 

It only made him laugh even harder. He turned around, his rather enjoyable chuckle still reaching her ears as the boat slowly left port. 

  
Rey swam the small distance back towards the pier and hoisted herself up, pouring the water from her purse and wringing out her shirt. She glanced back towards the boat and cursed Mr. Tall, Dark and Extremely Irritating once again for the horrible day she was having. 

_ Damn him to Hell and back.  _

She flipped him the bird when she saw him lift his tumbler to her in mock salute. 

But then Rey saw something that she couldn’t ignore. Not even that cantankerous jackass deserved a death like that —

  
  
  
  


Benjamin Organa-Skywalker watched the girl walk off his boat and felt something odd in his chest. Something that almost felt like regret. His grin turned into a grimace as he watched her strut down that ramp, her hips swaying enticingly and her worn sandals slapping on the ramp.

  
She had taken him by surprise when she had shown up the day before. 

  
He had been expecting an elderly, battleaxe of a woman lady. The kind who hadn’t shaved her legs since the last World War, and who needed to shave her face just as bad. That was the kind of cleaning staff he usually preferred. The kind of staff that didn’t take him by surprise. The kind that didn’t tempt him.

_   
_ _ Not like her…  _

She had looked like a ray of sunshine after a storm. Even dressed in those revolting rags, with her hair tied back in the weirdest hairstyle he’d ever seen on a woman  — three silly little buns at the back of her head  — and without a lick of make-up, she held more appeal to him than the famous models and socialites he normally hung out with. 

When he closed his eyes, it was her face that floated before his mind’s eye. Her almond-shaped hazel eyes, her golden skin, and the freckles on her nose seemed unforgettable. Her scent, something floral and flirty, haunted him. Her voice, that sing-song British lilt, almost made him smile whenever he heard it. She had the annoying habit of humming and swaying her hips when she cleaned, and that was enough to make him want to slide his own close to hers. 

Even her name  — Rey  — seemed to float around in his brain at an alarming rate. 

  
She seemed to be everywhere. No matter where he ran, she would be there. On the deck, in the galley kitchen, in the living area. When he ran into her in his bedroom… 

  
Never before had he been tempted to fantasize about the hired help like he was now. Never before had he been able to see the appeal of maid porn. He sure did now. 

  
She was a distraction of the worst sort.    
  


His mentor, James Archibald Snoke, had warned him of these temptations. They were nothing more than a lawsuit waiting to happen. And Rey in particular was one that could ruin him, in more ways than one.

  
Which was why he needed her off his boat and out of his life. She was distracting to a fault.    
He was no stranger to women; in fact, he prided himself on being so suave. He’d had so many women on his arm and in his bed that he’d lost count. And yet he’d never felt quite this unsettled before. All because of a single slip of a girl, and one of society’s lower circles no less. 

He looked down on her and taunted her as the ramp was pulled back and she was suddenly thrown in the water. The look on her face as the ramp was detracted and she hit the water was priceless. He laughed and laughed, and even gave her a dainty little wave as the boat started to leave port. 

  
He could hear Mitaka murmur disapprovingly under his breath, but he ignored the man, as he usually did. The man shuffled off and Ben took a sip of his drink.

He moved to the back of the boat so he could look at her longer. It had nothing to do with the way her clothes were stuck to her lithe frame or the way her hair had come undone and framed her face in wild waves. It had nothing to do with the way her eyes were feral, even from this distance. No, it had nothing to do with anything of the sort. 

  
He watched her glare at him and he couldn’t contain the grin on his face. He heard her yell something and scream and it only made him grin harder. Smirking, he lifted his tumbler to her in mock salute. He then put the tumbler to his lips and took a sip. 

  
An unfamiliar sound reached his ears and he turned around.

  
How it happened, he did not know, but he could do nothing but watch as the tiny lifeboat that was tied to the back of the ship came loose. The cable that tied it to the back wall suddenly snapped, causing the lifeboat to first tumble down horizontally and then swung straight at him. His eyes widened in surprise and he let out a tiny shout, but it was too late to do anything. 

The lifeboat’s stern hit him right between the eyes and the blow was so hard that it knocked him unconscious. He never even noticed that he fell overboard.


	3. Chapter 3: The first lie

Rey watched wide-eyed as the small lifeboat that was tied to the back of the ship, suddenly swung away from the wall, hit her asshole ex-boss smack in the face, and flung him overboard. 

  
The splash when his large frame hit the water was impressive in its simplicity. Barely more than a few drops reached higher than two feet, which was not much all things considered. 

Heart lodged in her throat, Rey looked around her and back at the retreating ship, and no one seemed to have noticed that the owner had suddenly gone MIA. The party was at the front of the barge and no one had followed him over. 

  
She stood staring frantically at the spot where Organa-Skywalker had fallen into the water. She could just make out his shape. 

  
_ What if he’s hurt?  _

Without another moment of hesitation, she looked behind her and shouted at a passerby to call nine-one-one and jumped right back in the water. 

Thank the Maker she was an expert swimmer. She reached him in no time at all and was relieved to see his face was above the water. There was an ugly gash over one side of his face that was bleeding profusely, but at least it didn’t seem like he’d inhaled much water. 

Rey quickly swam back towards the pier, where a few burly men hoisted him unto the wood. She followed him and instantly tried to get him conscious again. When that didn’t work, she panicked. 

  
“Come on! Breathe!” she shouted before she started CPR. She tried to ignore the tremor that assaulted her stomach the moment her lips touched his, blaming it on the adrenaline. 

  
After a few tries, he heaved and started coughing up the water that had accumulated in his lungs. He was turned unto his side to let all of the water out, but he didn’t seem to regain consciousness after that. He did start to breathe, but it was uneven and with a gurgling note that didn’t sound good at all. 

  
The paramedics arrived then and took over, making Rey stand back shivering. They quickly made sure that her jerk-boss was given oxygen and his vitals were checked. They loaded him up on a gurney and pushed him into the back of the ambulance. 

Before she could think to stop herself, she grabbed the sleeve of one of the paramedics. “Excuse me, where are you taking him?” 

  
“Saint Anakin’s.” 

  
Rey nodded a little absent-mindedly, when the paramedic’s voice startled her. 

  
“If you don’t mind, ma’am, we’d like to take you in as well. Just to check if you’re alright as well.”

She looked at him and her eyes all but bugged out of their sockets. “Uhm…” she started, her voice failing her. She nodded and allowed the paramedic to escort her to the back of the ambulance as well, making sure she was buckled into the seat. She saw the jackass lying there on that gurney, with his face swaddled in bandages, the oxygen tube on his face, and felt her eyes grow misty. 

The paramedic  — she still couldn’t remember his name even though he’d offered it  — started checking her vitals as soon as the door closed and the ambulance started. 

Rey couldn’t remember the rest of the ride to the hospital. Everything passed in a blur. 

  
Once they got there, she was pushed into a wheelchair and carted over to an examination room. Her former boss was immediately wheeled away towards another one. Rey kept trying to catch glimpses of him, but failed miserably. One of the nurses who was taking care of her noticed. 

“Are you looking for something?”

  
Rey looked up at the woman’s sweet face. 

  
“I’m looking for…” but Rey couldn’t speak another word for the life of her. 

  
The nurse glanced back in the direction Rey was staring and noticed it was where they were taking care of the man that had just been brought in with her. A knowing look crossed her face. “Are you related to the gentleman?”

Rey’s eyes widened at that simple question. Whatever possessed her, she’d never know, but she replied before she even realized she’d opened her mouth. 

“He’s my... “ she swallowed hard past the sudden lump in her throat, “husband.”

The nurse’s face brightened in what seemed to be understanding. “I see. Would you like me to go and check on him and report back? That might make you feel a little more at ease. We’ve already established that there’s nothing wrong with you, so we’ll be releasing you in an hour or so. We’ll just keep you here a little longer, just to be safe.”

  
Rey felt the guilt creep up on her already, but she couldn’t take it back now. The lie had left her lips and once it was out in the open—    
  
“That would be wonderful, thank you.” 

  
The nurse just smiled and gave her a little nod before moving over to the examination room where they were keeping Benjamin Organa-Skywalker. 

  
Rey’s mind was going a mile a minute. How could she have said something so ludicrous! To claim that the asshole was her husband… He’d probably sue her when he found out. 

But that was only one part of the problem. She had to contact Rose and tell her what happened. She’d have to ask her to pick up the kids if she wasn’t back at the house in time. She’d have to see how she’d solve this little problem, and how she could clear the air again once he was awake without getting in trouble with the law for providing false information. Organa-Skywalker would probably accuse her of taking advantage for her own personal gain. 

The nurse was back before she was left to her own destructive mind too long. 

  
“Ma’am?” she asked quietly. “I’ve just received word that he’s doing just fine. They managed to stabilize him and they have sutured his facial wound. It will probably end up as a scar, but they did their best to minimize the damage. Thanks to your quick action, he did not have as much water in his lungs, and he’s otherwise in good health so he’ll recover quickly according to the doctor’s prognosis. They are keeping him on oxygen for the next twenty-four hours as a precaution, but he’s already breathing on his own again. As soon as he’s transferred to a room, you’ll be allowed to see him.”

  
Rey let out a sigh of relief she didn’t know she was holding. A small smile graced her lips and she gave a quick prayer of thanks to the Force that the jerk had survived. Perhaps she could use the whole I-saved-your-life-thing to her advantage.    
She smiled at the nurse and whispered a small thank you on another sigh. 

  
The nurse patted Rey’s shoulder and muttered an equally soft ‘you’re welcome’ back. 

  
“Is there anything I can get you?” she asked Rey as she helped her into the mandatory wheelchair. 

  
“Yes, actually, could you please ask the paramedics to retrieve my purse? I need to make a few phone calls, and my phone is in my bag.” 

“Sure thing,” the nurse said with a wide smile. Her big blue eyes were twinkling as she called out to one of the medics talking to a doctor down the corridor. 

“Hey Mace!” 

  
The medic turned around, his bald head reflecting the overhead lights. “Yeah?” he said as he sauntered over and smiled as he looked at the nurse in a way that made Rey feel as if she were the fifth wheel on the wagon. 

  
“Would you mind checking to see if this woman’s purse is still in the ambulance?” 

  
Rey looked up and saw that the nurse’s smile was a little brighter.

  
“It’s not, Snips. I actually handed it over to Aayla at the reception desk when we arrived.”

  
“Oh…” The nurse bit her lip and gave this Mace a shy smile. “Okay, we’ll go get it then. It was nice seeing you again.” 

  
“Yeah, you too.” 

Rey watched as the paramedic winked at the nurse before going back to whatever he was doing. 

  
She wanted to say something, but the girl was not paying her any attention anymore. She was looking back at the paramedic as he walked out, longing and pining plastered all over her face. Rey said nothing instead, and they just picked up her purse. 

She was wheeled out of the hospital, then got up, thanked the nurse, and asked her to come alert her should anything change in ‘her husband’s‘ condition. 

  
She took a few steps away from the door and quickly dug out her phone. Without thinking, she dialed Rose’s number. Rose picked up at the second ring. 

  
“Hey Rey, a drop of golden sun!” she said in her usual sing-song cheerful greeting. 

“Rose, I need your help.”

  
“Oh dear, what’s wrong?” Rose asked, alarm sounding through her voice. 

“I… may have done something drastic…” 

  
Rey could almost hear Rose’s eyes pop out and her hairs stand on end. “Talk to me,” was all she said. 

  
Rey quickly recapped what had happened, making sure no one overheard her. She told Rose about the situation on board, how she got humiliated and fired, how the jackass had retracted his ramp and made her fall into the water. Then she went on about the freak accident, how she had saved the man’s life, and that they were now at the hospital. 

  
“Oh my gosh, Rey, are you alright?” Rose’s voice was a little on the shrill side, the concern seeping through in every syllable. 

  
“Yes, yes, I’m fine. And so is he.” Rey sighed. The worst part was yet to come.    
“But that’s not… all of it.” She spoke with hesitation lacing every word. 

  
“Oh no, there’s more?” Rose asked apprehensively. 

  
“I may have…” she took a deep breath before continuing, squeezing her eyes shut in the proces, “told them that he’s my husband?” 

  
“You did what?!” Rose shouted into the phone. Rey had to hold it away from her ear to preserve her hearing. 

  
“How could you do that, Rey?” she continued, only a few decibels softer than before. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you could get into with this?” 

  
“I know, Rose. Trust me, I know. I don’t know why I did it. I was just worried, I guess, and then the nurse asked me if we were related and before I knew it, those words left my mouth, and I couldn’t take them back... “

Her voice trailed off and much to Rey’s dismay, tears filled her eyes. The situation was starting to sink in. She saved that man’s life. He could have died if she hadn’t responded as quickly as she had. The adrenaline was slowly leaving her body and she started to shiver. 

  
Rose must have noticed, because her entire demeanor changed in less than a second. “Hey Rey, it’s okay. We’ll handle this when the time is right. Is there anything I can do for you right now?“

Rey sniffled and swiped angrily at the tears that fell down her face. “If you would be so kind as to go back to my place and take care of the kids for me when they get home from school, that would be great.”

  
Rey was so absorbed in her conversation, that she hadn’t noticed the nurse return. She all but jumped out of her skin and nearly dropped her phone when the young woman tapped her on the shoulder. 

  
“Hang on a sec, Rose,” she said before turning back to the nurse. “Yes?” 

  
“Excuse me, Ma’am, but your husband has woken up.” 

  
Rey’s eyes bugged out for what felt like the thousandth time that day. “Oh, yes, right…” she stammered. She suddenly remembered Rose was still on the phone. She mouthed ‘one second please’ at the nurse and then resumed her call with her best friend. 

  
“Hey Rose, the nurse just told me he’s awake, so I’m going to check on him. Please pick up the kids when they get off the bus? I’ll be there as soon as I can. Love you.” 

  
Rey quickly pushed the disconnect button and followed the nurse inside. They took her down several corridors to a room in the back. They opened the door and there he was, lying on that hospital bed, looking pale as death.    
They had sutured the slash on his face and put steri-strips on it, and it was a lot bigger than Rey had initially thought. His eyes were closed, but she could tell he was awake from his breathing. 

  
“Would you mind filling out these forms for me? I’ll be right back,” the nurse said and gave Rey a clipboard and a pen and left the room. 

  
Rey stood there, frozen inside the hospital room. She closed her eyes and prayed for strength, knowing she’d be done for in a few moments. She took a deep breath and was startled when his deep voice broke the silence. 

“Who the hell are you?” 

  
Rey’s eyes flew open at the question and her gaze met his. Those dark orbs had lost none of their intensity, but they did seem completely inquisitive. 

  
“What do you mean, who am I?” Rey asked cautiously. 

  
“Exactly what I said. Who the hell are you? And why are you here?”

Rey frowned. “You don’t remember me?” 

  
Organa-Skywalker raised a single brow and then hissed in pain as it pulled at the sutures. “Should I remember you?” 

  
Rey’s intake of breath sounded like a hiss. 

  
_ He doesn’t remember me?  _

  
“Are you serious?” she asked with a scowl. “You don’t remember me? At all?”

  
The jackass looked her up and down, and this time she could see something in his dark gaze that made her blush slightly. 

“I am afraid not.” His words were cold and he didn’t sound apologetic at all. 

  
Rey’s mind was running a mile a minute. This was insane. He didn’t remember her? 

  
“Do you remember what happened?” she asked him softly, staring at the tips of her shoes, unable to meet his gaze. 

  
“No, I don’t. Although, according to the doctors, I fell off a boat and almost drowned or something.”

This was getting more and more peculiar with every passing second. She looked down at the clipboard and the letters jumped out at her.    
  


_ Patient’s name  _ _   
  
_

She quickly jotted down the first thing that came to mind. 

_ Ben Solo. _

  
“I…” Rey was interrupted by the return of the nurse and the arrival of the doctor. He pulled the clipboard from her hands.

  
“Well well, look who’s awake again. Mr…. Solo! Feeling better?” 

  
The doctor was rewarded with a scowl, but it didn’t seem to bother him in the least. He turned back to Rey and started addressing her. 

  
“You are his wife, I presume?” 

  
Rey ducked her head and nodded, unable to meet the doctor’s stare, but by doing so she met her former boss’s instead. He frowned at her, once again hissing at the pain of pulling at the sutures. 

  
“I think it’s fair to say you saved your husband’s life today. If you hadn’t sprung into action as quickly as you did, he would not be among us anymore.” 

The doctor looked down at his chart and continued in the same animated voice. “There seems to be no indication of permanent damage. Even the current damage is rather mild. Your husband did ingest quite a bit of water, but his lungs were not affected for the long run. The wound on his face was rather deep, and it will unfortunately result in a permanent scar.” He glanced over at her boss and winked. “But the chicks dig scars, I’m told.” 

He put down the chart and looked at them both before continuing with his speech. “However, there is one small problem. It seems that the accident that occured, combined with the drowning, has caused your husband to have a memory lapse. “

“A memory lapse?” 

  
“Yes, a memory lapse. He doesn’t seem to remember who he is anymore.”

Rey blanched. How on earth was this happening? 

The doctor mistook her silence. “Don’t worry, Ma’am, it’s only temporary.”

  
“I see.”

“Would you please not talk about me as if I wasn’t even in the room?”

The deep voice that had haunted her dreams sounded hoarser than before, but considering the amount of water that he had ingested, it wasn’t that much of a surprise. 

  
“Now, the best thing to do is to go home and live your life as you normally do. The simplest thing might return his memory, so I guess you should just go about your business as usual.”

“I see.”

“I disagree.” Organa-Skywalker interjected. “I don’t even know this woman.” 

“Well, of course you don’t,” the doctor said calmly. “That’s the main symptom of amnesia.” 

  
A scoff sounded, but the other two people in the room chose to ignore it. The doctor looked up at Rey and smiled softly, understanding and compassion shining in his eyes. 

“We will need to keep him overnight, just to make sure. And to be certain that your insurance company doesn’t sue.” 

He winked and smiled at Rey, who couldn’t contain a slightly hysterical giggle.  _ Insurance, right. _

  
A low grumble sounded and it made Rey and the doctor look up at the patient in the hospital bed. He was scowling at the two. 

“I’m not convinced that I am in fact married to this woman, but if I am, don’t you think it’s pretty bad form to flirt with her in my presence?”

Rey met his dark gaze and there was such an intensity in those eyes that it made her shiver. The doctor just barked out a little laugh.

  
The doctor made a few notes on his chart, a smile still clinging to his lips. It died when Organa-Skywalker let out a low menacing growl though. 

Rey and the doctor looked at him and the sheer threat in the man’s face made the doctor swallow. 

“Right,” he muttered. “Well, anyway, we’ll keep you here overnight. You’ll get to go home tomorrow. I’ll leave you now, but I’ll check up on you a couple of times.”

  
He nodded at Rey and winked while turning away, heading for the door without looking back. Rey was left standing there in the middle of the room, wringing her hands. After the silence got too much, she spoke up quietly. 

  
“Well, I should go home now. I need to pick up the kids, but I’ll be back tomorrow to pick you up.” 

  
She patted his feet awkwardly with a wan little smile and left the room as if the devil were on her heels, leaving her boss-slash-fake-husband staring after her with a befuddled look on his face.


	4. Chapter 4: Coming home

  
  


Rey raced home, her mind going haywire. 

  
_ Dear Maker, what have I done?  _

She had saved her jackass-boss’s life, and then carelessly claimed to be married to him, and now he was suffering from amnesia? This was turning into one big huge cosmic joke! She wondered how she was going to get out of this particular mess.    
  
When she got home, Rose was on the front porch waiting for her.    
  


“Hey Rey, you okay?” Her sweet voice sounded anything but chipper this time. In fact, Rey had never seen Rose this serious and concerned since meeting her. 

“As well as can be expected.” 

“I already took care of the kids. They’ve eaten, and Leia and Han are doing homework. Lucy’s upstairs playing tea-party with her dolls. And I’ve taken the liberty of chilling two bottles of wine.”

Rey walked up to her and wrapped her arms around Rose. “Thanks Rose.”

“Let’s go inside.” 

Rose wrapped her arm around Rey’s shoulders, even though she had trouble reaching. It made Rey smile and feel cherished anyway.    
  


When the kids were in bed, Rey and Rose broke out the wine and moved out to the rockers on the porch. They kept their voices down just in case. Rey explained everything that had transpired within the past forty-eight hours and then they sat in silence for a while.    
  


“It does sound a bit surreal.” Rose’s voice was hushed, and a heavy sigh left both women. 

Rey sipped her glass of wine and contemplated things. Then all of a sudden, she had a thought. A terrible, wicked thought.    
  


“Oh no…” Rose’s voice trailed off. “Rey, I know that look.” She scooted forward in her rocker and pointed her finger at Rey. “Nothing good ever comes from that look.”

“Rose, this could be the universe’s way of apologizing to me.”    
  


“Rey, no.”    
  


“Rose, what if we go along with this for a while?” Rey interjected. “He already thinks we’re married anyway. This is the perfect solution for the kids! He could take care of them while I work, it’s perfect!” she exclaimed, excitement in her voice. 

“Rey, you can’t be serious,” Rose countered. “His family and friends are probably looking for him. He’s super rich, you don’t think this’ll cause problems? And if his memory comes back, then what will you do to justify this?”

“I’ll just make the most of saving his life or something, I’ll handle that when we get to it. Rose, I already put my imaginary husband’s name on the hospital forms. This could work!”

“I don’t agree with this. At all.”

“I know. But will you help me?” 

Rose heaved a heavy sigh and looked at Rey with a conflicted expression. “Yeah, sure. It’s the girlfriend code, right? You murder someone, I help you get rid of the body. Or in this case, you save someone and I help you keep him. What do you need me to do?”

Rey’s face broke out in a wide grin. “You know photoshop, right?”

  
  
  
  


The next day came bright and early. The kids woke up exactly as they always did, one more grumbly than the other. Rey hadn’t slept well, her guilt at war with her need for practicality. But since the solution had been dropped in her lap, she couldn’t ignore it.    
  


“I have some big news,” she said quietly as she sipped her coffee. 

“Oh?” Han said with his usual teenage enthusiasm, his body slouching in his chair. His belligerence earned him a sharp look from Leia, who was twelve going on thirty. She would have kicked him in the shin if it hadn’t been for young Lucy’s wide eyes. 

“Is it a surprise?” she asked in a high pitched voice. 

“Well, in a way it is.” Rey said as she smoothed her shirt and her hair nervously. “We will be adding another member to our family for a while.”

“Another kid?” 

Han’s eyes widened in horror, Leia’s face fell and Lucy’s eyes all but bulged out of her little sockets. 

“Are we getting another brother or sister?” she piped up as she jumped up from her chair. 

“No, no.” Rey said as she chewed her lower lip. “We will be joined by… a man.”

All three kids looked up at her with confusion and shock written all over their faces.    
  


“A man?” Leia asked. “What man?” she asked with all the tact of a bulldozer. Her entire face changed as a thought crossed her mind. “Have you been seeing someone? Behind our backs?” 

“No, Leia, I haven’t. I wouldn’t dream of doing that. And even if I had, you know it would never get serious without your approval.” Rey’s reprimand seemed to put Leia back in her place, the kid lowering her eyes and flattening her lips. 

“All you need to know is that there will be a man living here and that he thinks he’s your father.” She looked at the teenagers who were looking at her as if she’d lost her mind and spoke to them in hushed tones. “I’ll explain later.”   
  


The two teens simply nodded, understanding that it wasn’t fit for Lucy’s ears. 

“Lucy, dear, would you please go get ready for school? Put your socks and shoes on and get your backpack.”

“Yes, mommy.” The little girl jumped from her chair without any hesitation at all and left the room. 

“What’s going on, Mom?” Han’s voice was suddenly so serious; he seemed much older than his fifteen years. 

“Okay, so… The thing is…” Rey started and stopped, unable to find the right words. 

“Out with it, Mom,” Leia interjected. 

“Well, I got a job the other day, and then my boss fired me. But then he fell overboard in some freak accident and I saved him. When we got to the hospital, I accidentally called him my husband so I could find out how he was. Then it turned out he has amnesia and everyone already believed we were married. And I could really use the help, so I decided to go along with it.”

The two teenagers looked at her as if she’d grown a second head.

“Are you serious, Mom?” Han deadpanned.

“Are you crazy?” Leia all but shouted. “Do you have any idea how much trouble you could get into for this? It’s illegal, Mom!”

Rey sighed and rubbed her tired eyes. 

“I know, I know. But I am asking you both to go along with this. The amnesia is temporary. He’ll get his memory back, and we’ll figure something out then.”   
  


She looked at her kids beseechingly. “Han, Leia… I need you to play along. I have no other options left. And if social services find out I lied on my application form, they’ll take you away.”

The kids looked at each other and shared a look. They seemed to agree on something unspoken, but they looked back at Rey and gave her a small nod.    
  


“What do you need us to do?” Han’s eyes were sparkling with mischief. 

Rey’s smile was one of pure relief. “Okay, this is the plan…”

  
  
  
  


Several hours later, Rey was in the car with a very brooding jackass.    
  


He’d made quite the scene at the hospital, refusing to go with her. It had taken a lot of convincing and even the threat of a lawsuit to get him to join her. He’d only agreed to come along after Rey had told him about the birthmark just underneath the band of his shorts in the shape of Orion’s Belt. Thank the Maker she’d caught a glance of it when he bent over to take his pants off that first day. 

  
The entire drive down to Rey’s cottage had been spent in silence, despite Rey’s attempts to start conversation. He either ignored her completely or answered with monosyllables. After a while, Rey stopped trying. 

They arrived at the cottage and Rey sighed as she shut down the engine. His voice pierced the silence

“You cannot be serious?” He sounded every bit the rich snob he was. 

“Excuse me?”    
  


“You cannot be serious? This is where we’re supposed to live?” He looked over at her in horror.    
  


“Yes, why?” Rey asked, confusion all over her face. 

“Honestly…” his voice trailed off. “This is far beneath me. I don’t know who you are, or where I am or what I am doing here with you, but I know for a fact that I couldn’t be married to you and that I most definitely would never willingly move into such a dilapidated hovel! I have higher standards than this.” His dark eyes were thunderous.    
  


Rey’s hackles were raised by the tone of his voice. “Actually, darling, you were the one who insisted. You love the ocean, and you fell in love with the view. You said you didn’t mind a fixer-upper. Now, can we please not argue? It’s been a long day and I am very tired.”

She got out of the car and he followed her at a much slower speed. Rey turned around and watched him debate whether or not to run for it. 

“Let’s go, dear. The children are waiting.”

Pure terror flashed in his expression, but he followed her inside. 

He was greeted with nothing out of the ordinary. Lucy was watching something on the Disney Channel, Han was slouching on the couch with his smartphone, and Leia was at the table doing homework. 

“Hey kids,” Rey said a bit forcefully, “Look who’s home.” 

Han barely even raised his head as he responded. “Hi Dad.”

“Hey Dad!” Leia said without looking up from her homework, although she did give him a little absent wave. 

“Daddy!” Little Lucy ran towards him with her usual exuberance. She flung herself at his legs. “I’m so happy you’re home!    
  


Rey almost pitied the jerk. He looked so incredibly uncomfortable. He gave her a look and almost lost his temper. 

“These are not my children.” 

Rey gave him a look filled with disdain. “I know that they’re not ours biologically, but that never bothered you before!” she spoke with an iron undertone. “And I would appreciate it if you would refrain yourself from voicing such thoughts. It’s not good for the children’s self-esteem.”   
  


Rey’s reprimand seemed to shake him a little. 

“Han, why don’t you take Lucy out back and feed the chickens? I’ll help your father settle in again.” 

Han let out a big dramatic sigh and muttered “Fine” under his breath. “Let’s go, Luce.” He sauntered out of the room with Lucy right on his tail. 

“Now, since you obviously don’t remember anything, I’ll give you a tour of the house. Maybe it’ll bring something back.”

She showed him around the house, and his lip curled with disdain more and more as he passed through the rooms. When they reached her  —  no,  _ their _ room  — his demeanor got even worse.

“This is unacceptable,” he muttered. “This is absolutely unacceptable.” He turned around and put his hands on his hips. “How can you live like this?” 

Once again, his arrogance got on Rey’s nerves. “Well, Ben, it’s not like we’ve had much chance to work on it. We bought it and you were deployed. And I only have two hands. I’ve done as much as I can, but it still takes more than I can do on my own.” 

He frowned at the sound of his name on her lips. It sounded familiar somehow, and yet new at the same time. He looked back at the bed before him. It was large enough, but it seemed so improbable that it would fit his own tall frame.    
  


“I’ll sleep on the couch.”   
  


With those words, he turned around and left. 

Rey sighed and followed him back to the living room. She quickly got around to fixing supper. After that, the kids watched some TV and then went to bed. 

Rey sat down at the dinner table, where Ben was still seated.    
  


“I’m about to go to bed,” she said distractedly. “I’ll put your pillow and blanket on the sofa and I’ll see you in the morning.”She got up and went to bed, leaving Ben alone. 

He settled down after a few minutes and slipped into slumber without much further ado. 

  
  
  



	5. Chapter 5: The struggles

  
  


Ben woke up the next morning with a start. The house was filled with activity and he didn’t even know how to process it. 

“Darling, could you please get up?” He heard Rey’s voice penetrate his sleep. “You need to make the kids’ lunchboxes.”    
  


He heard a loud yip, and suddenly he felt something jump up on him, licking his face. He opened his eyes and saw a small white and orange Jack Russell standing on his chest. 

“Oh, get off Beebee!” Leia picked off the little dog and then looked down at him. “Get up, Dad. We’re late. The bus will be here soon.”

He got up and became caught in the whirlwind action. He felt off-kilter and worked through the haze that clouded his mind. Somehow, he ended up making the kids sandwiches and then sent them off. Rey was the last to leave, thanking him for her sandwiches and handing him a list of chores he was supposed to do.    
  


“I know you probably don’t remember anything about your life here, but this is what you would do whenever you got home from a mission. I took the liberty of writing it down for you. I’ll be back in a few hours.”   
  
With those words, she turned around and left with a little wave. Ben stood in the middle of the kitchen and wondered how on earth he had gotten in this mess. He shoved a hand through his hair and closed his eyes. 

  
_ This is all just a dream. It’s just a nightmare. _

_   
_ He repeated these words like a mantra, but when he opened his eyes, he was still standing in the dismal kitchen. It looked okay, he assumed, but very lived in. Dishes everywhere, the cereal the kids had had for breakfast still stood in the center of the table, spilled milk all over the surface. Indefinable spots covered the floor, and Ben sure hoped they weren’t something that had been alive at one point. 

  
He glanced down at the list Rey had clutched in his hand right before leaving. It seemed to go on endlessly. Doing the dishes, vacuuming, washing floors, laundry, chopping wood... 

  
_ Hell, I don’t even know how to do half of this stuff!  _

  
Ben sighed and put the list on the fridge with a silly magnet that one of the kids had probably made. He felt nothing but sheer panic when he thought of his situation. Nothing here reminded him of anything. He knew in his bones that he didn’t belong here. But then these kids called him Dad. And then there was Rey… 

He could agree that there was definitely something between them. She was incredibly pretty, despite her poor choice in clothes and lack of make-up. She seemed to be the type of woman who didn’t need a man, didn’t want a man, but she knew things about him that did seem rather intimate. Ben also had to admit that there was a fair share of attraction between them. But why didn’t she act on it? If she were truly his wife, and she had missed him the way she claimed she had, wouldn’t she be all over him? 

He frowned and then winced at the pain that came from the right side of his face. 

_ Right. The slash across my face… Would that put her off?  _

Ben couldn’t control these random thoughts in his head. He still felt as if he didn’t belong here, as if something was deeply wrong with this whole situation, but he couldn’t remember anything. It wasn’t as if he had anywhere to go anyway. 

He let out a deep sigh and then decided to make the most of this situation. He might not know who he was, but he knew he wasn’t a quitter. And he definitely wouldn’t let himself be run over by a slip of a woman, no matter how much her eyes could make him feel like he was drowning all over again.    
  
He turned around, collected the dirty dishes, put them in the sink to rinse them, and then put them in the dishwasher. It took him fifteen full minutes to figure out how to turn the damned thing on, but he managed. The cereals were next, either finding their demise in the garbage bin or finding new life back in the box. Ben cleared the table after that. Bit by bit, the kitchen started to look like a kitchen again. 

  
Slowly but surely, Ben had worked his way halfway through the list, when the phone rang. Ben frowned in surprise, hissing in pain and remembering he hadn’t taken his painkillers yet. He made his way over to the wall where an old landline phone hung and picked it up. 

“Hello?” 

Silence ensued, and feeling agitated, Ben repeated himself. “Hello? Anybody there?”

A voice then sounded on the other end of the line. “Is this the Solo residence?” 

The confusion and almost tangible disdain in the prim voice raised the hairs on Ben’s neck. 

He responded without even hesitating. “Yes, it is. Who’s calling?” 

“It’s Ms. Phasma, from Social Services. I have a few questions concerning the children that are currently in your care.”

Ben panicked. How was he supposed to handle this? He couldn’t very well tell this woman he didn’t know the damned kids, that he didn’t know the woman who cared for them and that he thought he was in the equivalent of the Twilight Zone. He had to think quickly. As he frowned, he hissed in pain again. 

_ That’s my ticket out!  _

“I’m sorry, Ms. Phasma, but you’ll have to excuse me. I just got out of the hospital yesterday after an accident, and I am still very much recuperating. If you could call at another time when my wife is at home, that would be appreciated.”

Once again silence ensued. 

“An accident?” Ben could almost hear the cogs in Ms Phasma’s brain turn.    
  


“Yes, an accident. And I really need to go lie down again, or I’ll probably end up passing out. So if you’ll excuse me. Have a nice day.” 

Before the woman could reply, he hung up. He huffed out a deep breath, irritated beyond words.    
  


He hadn’t lied to the woman. If he didn’t lie down now, he’d definitely pass out. He went back to the sofa and took one of the pain pills the doctor had prescribed. He told himself he’d close his eyes for a few minutes, just a little time-out. But before he knew it, he was completely gone. 

When Rey got home from her morning job at Rust and Resistance, she found her kitchen tidied up as if Mary Poppins had come swinging by. 

  
She discovered Ben asleep on the couch, his bottle of pain pills open next to him. Her stomach clenched in alarm, but after a quick look inside the container, she sighed with relief.    
She put the container back down after closing the lid and was about to walk away when she heard his voice.    
  


“Rey?” 

Rey turned and looked at her ex-boss, lying on her sofa as if he belonged there. 

“Hey.” Her voice was softer than she intended. 

“What time is it?”   
  


“Just after two,” Rey said quietly. “Did you sleep well?” 

“Yes, I did. I’m sorry I fell asleep. I didn’t mean to sleep so late.” 

Rey gave him a sly smile.    
  


“That’s okay. You’re still recovering. You should be better in a few days and I’ll whip you back into shape in no time after that.”   
  


Ben’s pupils dilated at the mention of a whip.  _ Is she being serious? Am I into BDSM? Is she? _

Rey could see the wheels turning in his mind. Thinking of a fitting reply, one that would hint at both a sense of humor as a sense of intimacy between two people that were supposed to be married, she sighed deeply and spoke on pure instinct.    
  


“Get your mind out of the gutter, Solo,” she said as she got up. “It’s just a figure of speech. Besides, you’re more than enough for me to handle without needing accessories.” 

She turned and walked away, missing the color rising on Ben’s cheeks. 

Ben watched with narrowed eyes as she walked into the bedroom and closed the door.    
He got up and buried his hands in his hair.    
  


_ What a fucking mess.  _

He looked around and got irritated with all the junk lying around. He wasn’t used to this kind of crap. 

_ I’m really not used to this. Am I?  _

He sighed and absentmindedly started picking up toys and candy wrappers, putting them away as he went. By the time Rey exited the bedroom, half the living room was looking much better than before.    
  


Ben heard the door click and turned around. Rey was wearing a simple pair of black shorts and a cream colored T-shirt with a logo on the left breast. Clean ’n Dream… 

  
_ Why does that ring a bell?  _

“Where are you going?” he asked, confusion written all over his face. 

Rey’s brow knitted together. “I’m getting ready for my second shift.” 

“Second shift?”    
  


“Yes, I have to hold down two jobs to pay the bills and keep food on the table. But look at you!” she exclaimed. “Your military neatness is right back where it’s appreciated most.”

She walked up to him and grabbed his hand, gave it a little squeeze.    
  


“Now I need to go or I’ll be late. I’ll be pulling a double today, since you’re here to pick up the kids from the bus stop. See you tonight!”

She walked past him and headed right out the door without looking back, leaving Ben to stare after her and ponder this entire mess again. With a little shrug, he got back to his list of chores. 

Two hours later, he walked out the door when he heard the bus pull up. Lucy came running up to him and started chatting up a storm. The other two just lagged behind without even acknowledging his presence.    
  


They all went inside, and the kids immediately got down to doing their homework without a word.    
  


Ben just kept at it with his chores, not knowing how to talk to these children anyway.    
Rey got home just in time for supper, which he’d managed to cook thanks to the Food Network channel. 

When the children were in bed, Rey sat in the living room, reading one of her books on mechanical engineering. Ben sat in a chair nearby.    
  


“I still don’t believe it,” he muttered under his breath for the thousandth time that day.    
“I can’t believe any of it.”    
  


“What don’t you believe?” Rey asked without looking up.    
  


“I don’t believe that this is my life.” He looked at her and his dark gaze seemed to pierce straight to her soul. “It feels wrong. I don’t belong here. I can sense it.”    
  


“Ben, I know this must be really hard for you, not to remember anything.”   
  


“Exactly!” he shouted. “If this were real, shouldn’t I be remembering things? Details about our lives? In fact, why are there no pictures of us anywhere? Huh?” He stood, his vehemence clear in the way he looked at her and in his raised voice. 

“Ben, please keep your voice down. It’s hard enough to get the kids to go to sleep, let alone keep them that way.”

Ben muttered a very choice expletive underneath his breath as he shoved his hand 

in his hair. 

“There aren’t any pictures of us because I asked Rose to scan them and put them on a hard drive for us. We’re lucky we still have any left. We lost a lot of things in the move. I’ll text her now to ask if she has any she can send over via Whatsapp.” 

She quickly texted Rose with the request. Rey watched as her so-called husband growled with frustration. 

“This is pointless!” he hissed. “None of this is real, it can’t be. You’re not my wife, these kids are not ours and I don’t belong here! I know I’m not meant for this depressing way of life.”

Rey’s eyes narrowed to slits. Even with his amnesia, he was a jerk. He still looked down on others. It made her angry, furious even. She couldn’t help but want to knock him down a peg or two. 

She put a bookmark between the pages she was reading, put the book on the coffee table, and got up. Ever so calmly, she walked up to him. Rey crossed her arms and stared up at him for a moment or two, trying to focus on staying angry instead of getting lost in his hypnotizing eyes. 

“Well, I am sorry. But this is the life you’re stuck with right now. I’m sorry you don’t think much of this house, but it’s our home. I’m sorry you don’t see how wonderful the children are. I’m sorry I’m not the kind of wife you imagined yourself with. We have everything to make our future a bright one, but you obviously don’t see it that way.” 

Her phone made a noise, indicating she had a message from Rose. Rey sighed and turned around, picking her phone up from the coffee table. She opened the message and a grimace played about her lips. 

_ Rose to the rescue. _

  
“Here,” she said as she shoved the phone in his hands.    
  


Ben looked down and saw something that boggled his mind. Rey and him, together at some sort of party, laughing heartily. Rey and him on what appeared to be their wedding day. Rey and him, standing next to Han and Leia when they were younger, Rey holding a toddler that was obviously Lucy. 

Rey plucked the phone from his hands. “Satisfied?” she bit out.    
  


Feeling utterly ashamed and even slightly humiliated, all he could do was duck his head and nod.    
  


“Now, excuse me. I’m tired and I don’t feel like being anywhere near you right now.” 

  
Rey stormed past him and slammed the door to her bedroom, leaving Ben to stand alone in the middle of the living room, feeling two inches tall.    
  


  
  



	6. Chapter 6: The domestic life

  
  


It was unnerving, the way his days seemed to blend together.. How one chore got mastered, but another dozen seemed to be even more daunting.    
  


But as days went by, he settled into a routine. He took care of breakfast in the morning, made the kids’ lunches, and made sure they were ready for school on time. He cleaned the house and did chores. Rey got home around lunchtime, changed uniforms, and then left for her second job. He picked up the kids from the school bus. He got used to the chores he was supposed to do, and he finished his to-do-list faster and faster. 

He also met Rose one night, about two weeks after he got out of the hospital. 

  
Instead of ringing the doorbell like most normal people would, Rose just barged right in and yelled, “Honey, I’m home.” 

  
She turned the corner and walked into the kitchen carrying two grocery bags that seemed to contain a bunch of fresh produce and a fair amount of junk food, along with several bottles of wine, and almost ran right into him. 

Rose was… not what he’d expected. 

  
From what he’d gathered from Rey, Rose was a force to be reckoned with. A formidable and impressive person with a sharp mind and a keen sense for business. unafraid of anything or anyone. 

  
Ben looked down into her face and had a hard time matching the description to the person.    
Rose turned out to be a small woman  — one who barely reached his armpit and whose face could only be described as cuteness overload. Her hair was jet black and shiny, her bangs formidable and fluffy. He almost laughed out loud at the contradiction between her looks and Rey’s description.

Until he caught her eye. 

She took one look at him and instinctively he knew she was not someone to trifle with. Her gaze was sharp, sizing him up instantly, analyzing every aspect of him, seeing right through him with that dark gaze. Ben swallowed, somehow feeling as if he were being submitted to the worst kind of test in history. 

Until she smiled. 

“Hey Benny!” she exclaimed cheerfully, giving him a wide smile that made dimples appear in her cute, round cheeks.    
  


“You might not remember me, but I’m Rose, Rey’s best friend. Nice to meet you all over again. Armie, my boyfriend, couldn’t make it, but he sends his regards and hopes to see you soon. You haven’t met him yet, but he knows all about you. ” 

Ben was stunned into momentary silence, but that didn’t bother Rose in the least. 

“Here, take these will you?” she said brusquely as she pushed the bags into his arms. “I brought all the fixings for chicken enchiladas and veggie fajitas.” 

She pulled the bottles of wine out of the bags and gave him an impish grin. 

“And wine of course. I also brought you a few beers,” she said as she put the drinks in the fridge to cool. 

He suddenly seemed to find his tongue again, and snapped out of his daze. “Yeah, sure, thanks. Nice to meet you again, Rose.” 

She gave him another wide smile. “How you holdin’ up, Hotstuff?” she asked. 

Her choice of words made him frown. He answered as politely as he could. “I’m doing as well as can be expected, I guess.”    
  


Rose grunted in response and then walked up to the counter and started rummaging around in the bags, paying him no mind. 

“I’m sorry if this comes off as rude, but don’t you knock or something?”

Rose just laughed out loud. “I have a key, Ben. I’ve been in this house more often than you, I’m sure. Besides, why bother? You always said that I was at home in your home.” 

Her dark slanted eyes twinkled with mischief and Ben instinctively liked her. 

“Right.” 

She walked up to him and linked her arm with his. “Now, what do you say we get these enchiladas on the way? It’ll be fun, like old times!” 

“We used to do this? Before…?” Ben was truly puzzled. 

“All the time.” Rose rolled her eyes and laughed. “Now, let’s get to it!”

A couple of hours later, Rey and Rose sat in the living room with a bottle of wine, giggling like schoolgirls. Ben was doing the dishes and tidying up the kitchen when he caught wind of a conversation he obviously shouldn’t be hearing.

“So…” Rose asked slyly as she curled up on the couch, ignoring the movie they were supposed to be watching. “Have you guys done it yet?” 

Rey pretended to be ignorant. “Have we done what?”

“Oh come on, Rey…” Rose’s voice trailed off. “I see the way you look at him. And I definitely see the way he looks at you. Are you trying to tell me you guys haven’t had sex yet?” 

“Rose!” Rey admonished, glancing at the kitchen worriedly. “Keep your voice down, he can hear you.” 

“So?” Rose said with a lift of a shoulder as she sipped from her wine coyly. “You know I don’t care about propriety.” 

“I know, but still.”

“So have you?” 

“Have I what?” 

“Have you had sex with him yet?”

Ben stilled, trying to be as quiet as he could so he could hear what the women were saying. 

Rey sighed. “No, Rose, we haven’t.”

“Why on earth not?” she sputtered. “Rey, the guy is built like an ox! I can tell you want him, and he  _ definitely  _ wants you.” 

Ben frowned at the emphasis she put on that last bit. Was it that obvious that he was attracted to her? Well, of course he was, because they were married, but he thought he was hiding it better, all things considered. The situation was a little complicated right now, and acting on this basic attraction between them would only make things worse. He moved a little to the edge of the door, trying to peek around it and see them.    
  


He watched as Rey worried her bottom lip and felt his body respond to that tiny gesture, trying to remember what it felt like to have her teeth graze his skin. He trembled slightly at the mental picture it created in his head.  _ Was that a memory?  _ His body seemed to remember her, gauging by its reactions. He heard her speak and thankfully, it diverted his attention back to the here and now. 

“It’s… complicated.” 

“I don’t see how that’s possible. You want him, he wants you. Should be easy. “

“Rose,” Rey said with another sigh as she picked her glass up from the coffee table, “he just got out of the hospital two weeks ago. He doesn’t remember anything. He’s still recovering from that slash across his face.”

“Again, so?” Rose interjected. “His face is a little broken. So what? As long as you don’t sit on it, he should be fine! Come on, girl…” she muttered with a lift of her brow. 

“You have this hot husband at your beck and call. You don’t know when he’ll leave again. Get some action while you can! If not for yourself, then do it for me.” 

“For you?” Rey exclaimed with a laugh. 

“Well, yeah,” Rose said as she sipped her wine again. With a twinkle in her eye, she spoke slyly. “Armie’s been away a lot. Besides… Have you seen the men in this town?” She lifted her brow in question.”I’d rather live vicariously through you than dip into  _ that  _ pool…”

They laughed at that and Ben turned away again. He decided to leave the house for a few hours, so he wouldn’t be exposed to the women’s wild talk anymore. He walked into the living room and the ladies looked at him, mirth still dancing in their eyes. 

“I’m done doing the dishes,” he started sheepishly and ran a hand through his hair. “I think I’m going to take a walk down the beach. Is there anything you need before I go?”

Rey smiled up at him and there was something about the look in her eyes that made him go weak in the knees. 

“No, we’re fine. Have fun.” 

“Thanks,” he replied almost sullenly. “Nice seeing you again, Rose.” 

Rose gave him a little nod, and with that he left. 

  
After he’d closed the door, another round of animated laughter reached his ears. He shook his head and headed for the beach.

This whole situation was messing with his mind.    
  


He just couldn’t seem to wrap his head around his life as it was. This whole amnesia thing was rough. Ben couldn’t deny that there was something between him and Rey. The way she looked at him was enough to make him want to smile. Whenever she accidentally touched him, he felt as if electricity shot through his veins. The need to touch her, to pull her close and to kiss her grew stronger with every passing day. And yet he did nothing. 

  
Ben sat down in the sand and rested his chin on his knees. As he looked out over the water, the waves lapping lazily at the shore, he felt peace settle around him. The ocean had that effect on him. Rey had once said that he loved the ocean and that he had probably become a Marine because of that. Ben figured that made sense, at least.    
The sea felt like part of his soul. As if he identified with that vast expanse of water, everchanging, never still, always moving from one place to another, yet with a continuous sense of self and steadiness.    
Ben watched the waves in silence and allowed his mind to go preciously blank for a few long moments, before heading back to the cottage. 

After that, Rose seemed to drop in at least once a week. She finally introduced him to her boyfriend, Armitage Hux. He was a bit of a stuck-up British twerp who seemed very anal about rules and regulations. Rose had told him “Armie” - as she liked to call him - was a very clever guy who worked at some big scientific research company where he was in charge of their cloning program. His ginger hair was quite bright, and his blue eyes were mostly cold, unless he was looking at Rose.    
Ben both liked and disliked the man, and the feeling appeared to be mutual. At least they both were trying to get along. That had to count for something, right?    
  
  


He also met Poe and Finn, the men Rey worked with at Rust and Resistance, which was the name of their auto body shop. The two men were both carefree and laidback and loved to joke around. They were obviously crazy about each other, even if they weren’t the mushy type of boyfriends. Poe and Finn were definitely nice guys, and they cared about Rey. In turn, they cared about him, it seemed. So, they went out of their way to make sure she and he were happy.    
They managed to find an old rustbucket of a vehicle and Rey turned it into a decent car for him. That meant he got to pick up groceries and drive the kids around for after-school activities when it was hard for Rey to get away from work early. His responsibilities seemed to grow with every passing day as did his freedom and independence. 

He had to admit that it was not such a bad life. 

  
One morning, he was done so quickly that he had plenty of time left before Rey got home. He fixed himself a cup of coffee and sat outside on the porch steps, looking out across the ocean.    
  


A longing crept up on him, a yearning he couldn’t understand. He was linked to the water somehow, he could feel it. 

_ Maybe this  _ **_is_ ** _ the reason I joined the Marines. _ _   
  
_

As he watched the waves crash into the beach and the sun shimmer on the ever-changing surface, he felt a sense of belonging creep up on him. It cleared his head and gave him peace. He realized it was pointless to continue this everlasting fight against what turned out to be his life. He should just accept it the way it was and make the most of it.    
  


Ben also decided that if he were to do that, he’d have to pitch in. He’d start looking for a job. If he got a job, then Rey wouldn’t have to work herself to the bone just to keep the money coming in. She’d have the choice to quit one of the two she was juggling now. 

  
Ben heard Rey’s car rumble up the driveway and watched as she got out of the car. She walked up to him slowly, a frown marring her face. 

“What are you doing out here?” she asked, staring at him curiously. 

He gave her a shy little smile, unsure where his apprehension came from. 

“I finished a little earlier with the chores, so I figured I might as well take a few moments to enjoy the view.” 

Rey’s eyes widened with surprise but she said nothing. Ben felt overwhelmed for a moment, watching Rey stand there seemingly as unsure as he himself felt. 

“Care to join me?” he asked on a whim.    
  


Rey frowned briefly, only to join him a moment later with a nod. Ben held out his mug to her, and she accepted it with only a moment’s hesitation. Carefully she took a sip, then another one before handing it back to him.Together they sat quietly for a while, enjoying the view before them.    
  


Ben suddenly cleared his throat, making Rey glance up at him. 

“I… uhm... “ he started, only to suddenly seem a little embarrassed. 

“You what?” she asked softly. 

“I’ve been thinking,” he said with an awkward little smile. “What if I tried to get a job?” 

He looked up and took Rey’s surprised expression the wrong way. 

“You mentioned that my contract with the Marines wasn’t extended, so I don’t have to go back there anymore. I’ve done just about everything that needed to be done around the house. I don’t know what I’m cut out for besides the military, but I guess there’s only one way to find out?” he asked with a little reservation. He continued in the same tone. “And it might make it a bit easier on you too? You could choose to keep working two jobs, or you could pick the one you like best.” He glanced at her with apprehension in his dark eyes, insecurity written all over his face. 

Rey looked at him, at his strange combination of features that shouldn’t have been this enticing, but it somehow was. His wound was starting to heal, resulting in an angry red slash across the right side of his face, from his eyebrow all the way down to his clavicle. Even though Rey had thought him handsome from the moment she’d met him, she found him even more attractive now. Less perfect, and even more masculine.    
  


These were dangerous things to consider. It was already getting harder every day to remember that this whole thing wasn’t real. Ben was so kind these days, not nearly as stuck-up as he used to be, and if she wasn’t careful, she’d forget reality and start living in the dream.

  
When he gave her a questioning glance, Rey remembered what he’d said. 

“Uhm, yeah, why not?” she muttered softly. “I’ll get the paper when I run into town this afternoon and we’ll check out some websites too.”   
  


She was rewarded with a wide smile that made her stomach tremble. Rey gave him a much more demure one in return.    
  


“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get ready for work.” 

Ben nodded and watched her leave. He took another sip of his coffee and smiled.    
  


_ Maybe things aren’t so bad after all. _


	7. Chapter 7: The promise

  
  


Later, when the kids got home from school, he told them of his decision, and Leia instantly said she’d help him find a new job. Han suggested he could go work at Galaxy Burgers, since they were always looking for new employees, and he’d be benefitting from Ben’s employee discount. Lucy seemed a little less happy with the whole prospect of Ben working.

“What’s the matter, Lucy-boo? Aren’t you happy?”

The little girl pouted. “Yes, of course Daddy.”

“Then why do you look like you’re about to cry?”

“Daddy, I don’t want you to leave again.”    
  


Ben’s throat constricted painfully at the desolate look in the little girl’s eyes. “Oh, sweetheart,” he murmured as he gathered her close, “I’m not gonna leave. I’m just getting a job.” 

She looked up and tears pooled in her eyes, making them seem even larger. “But that’s what daddies do,” she whispered miserably. “They leave. Wedge’s daddy left, and so did Bigg’s.” 

Ben looked at her and felt his heart clench. With a determination unlike anything he’d ever felt before, he grabbed her sweet little face and gazed into her eyes.

“Not me, sweetheart. I’m  _ your _ dad. And I’m not going anywhere.” Tears pricked at the back of his eyes and he whispered the next words with his heart in his eyes. “I promise.”

He looked up and stared at Leia and Han, sitting at the table. They were both looking at him curiously. So he repeated his words a little louder. “I am your father, and I am not going anywhere. I promise.” 

Ben took a deep, fortifying breath and raised his chin. “Now, who wants to help me with dinner?”

To his surprise, Han spoke up. “I’ll help you.” 

Ben gave him a small smile and nodded. “Sure thing, Kid.” 

They decided on cooking one of Rey’s favorites: chicken pot pie with mashed potatoes and green beans and mushrooms. Han was mashing the potatoes a little too forcefully, and it made Ben raise his eyebrows a little. 

“Careful Kid, or we’ll end up with baby food instead of mashed potatoes.”    
  


Han froze mid-air and frowned. “Did you mean what you said?” 

Ben frowned too. “Which part?” 

He watched from beneath hooded lids as Han’s expression closed off and became empty. 

“About being our dad. About not leaving?” 

Ben’s stomach dropped. His instincts told him that this could make or break his relationship with his son. He took a deep breath and tried to keep his tone casual. 

“Well, yeah,” he started. “I realize I’ve been gone for a long time, a lot longer than I should have. But I’m here now. And I don’t intend to leave again.”

“What about Mom?” Han asked.

“What about her?” 

“Are the two of you just gonna keep up with how this is going?” 

This time, the young teen looked up into Ben’s face and there was such an insane amount of seriousness and wisdom in the kid’s eyes that it stunned him into silence. 

_ An old soul. _

Ben had to swallow past the lump that was suddenly lodged in his throat. He cleared it and continued as evenly as he could. 

“That’ll depend on your mom. Things are... “ he frowned, “complicated.” 

Han scoffed. “That’s what adults always say when they can’t figure out their next move themselves. Or when they think their kids are too dumb to understand.”

That made Ben laugh out loud, surprising the kid. “Oh, Han…” he started with a sigh, clapping him on the shoulder. “I could say a lot about you, but you are most certainly not dumb.” 

“That doesn’t answer my question.” 

Ben watched the stubborn tilt of Han’s chin and smiled. “We’ll figure things out in time. Things are difficult now, and my memory loss hasn’t exactly been really helpful either. It’ll take a little more time, but we’ll figure it out. Now, why don’t we focus on getting dinner ready before your mom gets home.” 

Han gave Ben a little nod and together they made quick work of dinner. 

When Rey got home late that night, she walked in on the quintessential domestic scene.    
  


Ben was sitting with Lucy on his knee, Leia on his one side and Han on the other.    
He was reading from an old book of hers, the one she’d read and read until the edges of the yellowed pages had started fraying:  _ The Little Prince.  _ _   
  
_

She was moved by the sight. It was so incredibly intimate. Rey could see the love on her children's faces when they looked up at Ben. Somehow, her children had fallen head over heels in love with her fake-husband. And he obviously felt the same. 

“Hey Mom.”

Her kids’ voices were soft and happy. Han’s voice in particular was mellow, far less aggressive than it had been the past few weeks. Something had happened, something that had definitely had an impact on her son. She suspected Ben had a lot to do with that.    
  


Things were getting awfully complicated now. 

When Rey had decided to make the most of the situation all those weeks ago, she hadn’t expected things to become so messy. She’d briefed the kids, told them what to do and how to act, and they’d agreed to go along with it. But somehow, the lines had blurred. Ben had wormed his way into their lives and their hearts and Rey had the distinct impression that it would be infinitely harder to go back to the way it had been before. 

“Hey sweetheart. How was your day?” 

Ben was looking up at her, and he looked nothing like the self-absorbed prick he used to be. Rey had watched the slow transition and it still boggled her mind. His hair had grown longer, curling around the collar of his shirt. His gentle smile was a common sight now, instead of that cruel smirk. His eyes were soft when he looked at her, and she knew she was in trouble when his smile grew wider and his eyes roamed her body from head to toe.    
  


A shiver went through her, and she felt parts of her respond that she hadn’t known were alive anymore. Like an electric current scattered along her nerve endings and ignited a million little fires beneath her skin. Rey frowned at the sensation. 

“It was alright.” She sighed as she put her purse down on the sofa and looked at the group. “And you three should have been upstairs in your beds already.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Ben said sheepishly. “I’m afraid that’s my fault entirely. I found this book and somehow what was supposed to be a few pages turned into several chapters.” He grimaced. 

Rey sighed again, tired to the bone. She shoved her hand through her hair and gave him a blank look. “It’s fine. Just don’t let it happen again.” She put her hands on her hips and addressed the kids. “And you three, off to bed with you. It’s a school night, and you have a test tomorrow.” She pointed at Han. 

“Yes, Mom.” The kids spoke in unison. 

“Goodnight Dad,” Han and Leia said. Leia even touched his shoulder and added “Thank you for reading to us.” 

“You’re welcome, Princess,” he murmured as he covered Leia’s small hand with his own. 

“Goodnight Daddy. I love you!” Lucy said excitedly as she flung herself around Ben’s neck. 

He hugged her close and whispered back. “Goodnight Lucy-Boo. I love you too.” 

The kids kissed Rey goodnight and went upstairs without another word. 

She went into the kitchen and opened the fridge. She pulled out a beer and twisted the cap off, chugging the drink with loud gulps. She leaned back against the steel appliance and closed her eyes, willing her tears to go away. 

How could she have created this mess? How could she have allowed her family to get caught up in this sort of turmoil? 

Loud thumps told her that he was coming closer. Mentally, she tried to prepare herself. Emotionally, she knew there was no way to prepare herself for anything where this man was concerned. A lesson she was starting to learn the hard way. 

“Are you alright?” 

Rey opened her eyes at those words. Or rather, at the way they were spoken. He sounded so concerned, so worried, so invested… 

He seemed to care.    
  


_ It needs to stop.  _

“I’m fine. Just a hard day at work.”

She watched through lidded eyes as he tentatively took a few steps closer.

“Anything I can do to help?” 

Rey looked up into his face and wondered for the umpteenth time since coming home how she had gotten herself into this mess.

“No, I’m fine.” She pushed away from the fridge and wanted to walk past him, when he took a step sideways and blocked her path 

“Rey…” 

He let out a deep sigh and his shoulders slumped, as if the weight of the world was weighing him down. 

“Just talk to me,” he all but whispered, his voice so quiet and gentle it almost brought tears to her eyes all over again. He shoved a hand through that luscious hair of his, making her long to tease her own fingers through the silken locks, just to see if they truly were as soft as they seemed.

“I know things are…” he heaved another heavy sigh, “complicated between us right now. I’m pretty sure you feel the same way I do.”

Rey couldn’t escape the sarcastic remark that escaped her. 

“Oh, really?”

Ben, however, didn’t seem to catch on. He just started rambling away. “Yeah, really. Like the ground beneath your feet has been pulled away and you ended up face down in the dirt, not even knowing how you got yourself into this whole mess in the first place.”

Rey’s face scrunched up in surprise at his remarkably astute assessment. 

“And it feels like all you can do is keep swimming against the tide, hoping someone will come along and throw you a lifeline.” 

Ben stepped a little closer and did something he hadn’t done before. He touched her. He cupped her face in his hands. His dark gaze pierced her, his incredibly beautiful brown eyes burning through her defenses and staring right into her soul. 

“You’re not alone,” he whispered.

Rey couldn’t help the words from bubbling up. “Neither are you.” 

Even in the dimly lit kitchen, the only light source coming from the porch and spilling in through the window, she could clearly see his face. There was a tenderness in him that she couldn’t deny if she wanted to. 

“I know we have our own set of issues. Maker knows, I haven’t made this entire situation easy on you, especially in the beginning. But I promise you that you’ll never have to be alone again. Ever. You’ll always have me.”

He stared into her eyes so deeply, she felt as if she’d drown in them. The honesty she saw there both broke her heart and made it swell at the same time.

“I’ll always come back for you, Sweetheart, I promise. And I vow that I’ll do whatever it takes to go back to being the man you fell in love with once. I might never get my memory back, but if not, we’ll just have to make plenty of new ones.” 

Rey was stunned into silence. Sweet Maker, this was the last thing she needed on top of everything else. 

This man, this person who had suffered a serious trauma and was still suffering from the effects of his accident, trusted her completely and everything she had told him until this very moment was nothing but lies. 

Guilt gnawed at her, making her feel slightly nauseous and edgy. Lost for anything else, she just said the first thing that came to mind as she covered his hands with her own. 

“I know, Ben. But we’ll just have to take it one step at a time. We can’t force things like this. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to go to bed. It’s been a really rough day and I’m very tired.” She pried his hands off her face and whispered goodnight as she slipped past him.    
  


As she crawled into her bed and closed her eyes, tears slipped down her cheeks. She had to tell him. 

Tomorrow. She’d tell him tomorrow. 

This whole situation had gotten out of hand and had been going on for far too long as it was. 

Rey repeated the words like a mantra as she slipped off to sleep. 

_ “I’ll tell him tomorrow. Tomorrow…” _

  
  
  


“Any news on Organa-Skywalker?” 

The raw voice of James Archibald Snoke thundered through the Coruscant headquarters. 

“No, Sir, no word of him yet. The police, the FBI and the Coast Guard are all still looking for him, and we’ve put several of our best men on it, but nothing so far.”   
  


The words were spoken almost sensually, the voice low and husky. It suited the slender female it belonged to. 

“Have you interviewed the staff? Have we examined all the evidence?”

“Yes, Mr Snoke, we have,” Bazine continued slowly, making sure to stay calm. If she gave off the slightest hint of insecurity, Snoke would pounce on her like a rathtar. 

“They were unable to give us any more information. Dopheld Mitaka was the last person to have seen Mr Organa-Skywalker before the accident, in the port of Takodana. Mr Mitaka was told to leave him and tend to business, and so he did. Mr Organa-Skywalker has a tendency to seek out peace and quiet often, even during parties and social engagements. No one was surprised to not see him for several hours. Only when he could not be found around bedtime did anyone sound the alarm. They were over halfway back to Coruscant by then. It’s impossible to say when the accident occurred.”

Snoke let out a low growl in the back of his throat.Bazine felt the slightest hint of fear at that. However, she refused to cower. She had worked too hard and too long to get up to this position, to be taken seriously and to have this kind of power. All she needed was one more windfall, and she’d be set. 

  
All she needed was Organa-Skywalker’s position in the firm. 

She had crawled and groveled, she had clawed and fought, she’d even slept around to become the most powerful woman at First Order Enterprises. The only woman, for that matter, who held any job of importance within the firm. And if there was one thing she was certain of, it was that she would definitely make sure she’d set the bar so high that no one else would ever be able to reach it. 

Now, if Snoke would only get over his fixation with Organa-Skywalker… That would make all the difference. 

  
Her boss seemed to think the sun rose and set on the pompous brat. Much to Bazine’s chagrin, she could even understand why. 

  
The guy not only had a pretty face, but he was also damn good at what he did. He knew how to make the most out of almost any situation, could charm the skin off a snake, and he had a very keen sense of business. He was ruthless and calculated and knew how to pull punches, both literally and figuratively. 

  
None of that mattered. None of that would deter Bazine from her goal. She  _ would  _ become the vice-president of the First Order Enterprises.    
  


“Sir, we’ll find out what happened to Benjamin.”

“I hope so,” the man said viciously. “He is vital to our company, and I will not rest until we have discovered his whereabouts.” He took a few steps towards her. “Find him, Miss Netal. Find him, and I will make you Junior Vice President of First Order Enterprises.” 

Bazine couldn’t help the widening of her eyes at that prospect. Somehow, she managed to keep her composure calm and collected. A slow smile spread across her face, one she hoped resembled confidence more than her actual pleasure at almost reaching her objective.

“I  _ will  _ find him, Mr Snoke. That is a promise.”


	8. Chapter 8: The affection

When Rey woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. Which was pretty odd, since she wasn’t used to sleeping late. 

  
She crept out of bed and entered an empty living room. Shoving her hand through her messy hair, she shuffled over to the kitchen, only to find it empty as well. 

  
Rey looked around and noticed a bright yellow post-it note on the coffeemaker. 

The words written on it were so beautifully sculpted, so near perfection, that it looked as if it were printed. Rey yawned and yanked it off the coffeemaker, rubbing her eyes before reading. 

_ “Mornin’ Beautiful!  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Hope you had a great night’s sleep.  _ _   
_ _ I took the kids into town today, so you could catch up on your rest, _ _   
_ _ since you were so tired last night.  _ _   
_ _ Coffee’s ready, your mug is on the counter and _ _   
_ _ there’s a stack of oatmeal pancakes with blueberries in the fridge.  _ _   
_ _ I’ll be back around noon.  _ _   
_ _   
_ _ Love, _ _   
_ _ Ben _

  
  


Rey’s throat felt constricted, a lump the size of a boulder lodged right in the middle of her vocal chords.    
  
_ This is too much. _

She wondered what on earth she was supposed to do next. How on earth was she going to tell him? 

  
How was she going to tell him that they weren’t really married? That these kids weren’t theirs, but hers? That he didn’t belong here after all, when everything around her told her he did? 

Rey heaved a great sigh, shoved her hands through her hair again, and dropped her arms beside her. 

She’d just have to tell him as soon as he got back. Rey walked over to the fridge and pulled out the stack of pancakes. After all, she wasn’t about to waste good food. Especially not when she felt like binging. 

  
  


Ben drove the kids downtown to where Han had told him there was a Galaxy Burger. 

Not exactly the most glamorous place in the world, but it was a start right? Besides, it was more about getting a job than about appearances anyway. It was about getting Rey the opportunity to catch her breath. 

Together, they entered the restaurant. They ordered a Padawan meal for Lucy, an Alderaan meal for Leia which turned out to be a burger with a weird double bun and side salad, and he and Han both decided to go with the Death Star Menu, a big-ass minced steak burger on a huge bun loaded with every condiment and topping imaginable. With fries, of course. 

While Ben paid for the food, he asked the cashier, a pretty girl called Tallie, if they happened to be hiring. 

  
The girl’s smile lit up and she let out a great big sigh of what seemed to be relief. “Oh, yes, sir, we sure are! You have no idea how happy that makes me! We’ve been understaffed for a while now. Would you like me to have the manager come see you?”

Ben smiled and inclined his head politely. “Actually, that would be wonderful. Thank you.” 

“Sure thing! He’ll be there in twenty minutes, that’ll give you some time to actually eat something before he shows up. Enjoy your meal!”    
  


She winked at him and gave him a big smile, and Ben returned it with gusto. 

  
When they sat down, he noticed Leia’s face was pinched. “What’s up, Princess?” he asked, worry in his tone. 

“Oh come on Dad.” she started berating him. “That woman was all over you and you didn’t even stop her.”

Ben laughed at her dismay. 

“Leia, sweetheart, trust me. That woman was not — ” and he made air quotes as he continued “ — all over me. I’m here with three kids who call me Dad. I’m pretty sure she knows I’m taken.”

“Well, maybe she doesn’t. It’s not like you’re wearing a ring, Daddy.” 

The soft little voice made everything inside him go still. 

Lucy wasn’t even looking at him, instead she was examining the tiny toy she’d gotten with her Padawan meal. He checked his left hand and discovered that he wasn’t, in fact, wearing a wedding ring. 

_ Huh. _

“Yeah, well, I’ll talk to your mother about that later. Now please start eating, Lucy-Boo.” 

He then turned to Leia and addressed her in a no-nonsense tone. 

“And as for that woman being all over me or not, it doesn’t matter anyway. We all know there’s only room for three women in my life, and she’s not one of them. Now let’s eat. The food is getting cold.”

They ate in relative silence after that. 

Ben was about to take another bite out of the surprisingly delicious burger when he watched Han blanch, then blush. He noticed how Han suddenly wiped his mouth and ran a hand through his hair self-consciously, his eyes slightly widened and his breathing a little on the shallow side. 

  
Ben looked around to see what might be causing this kind of reaction in his son, when he noticed a bunch of teenage girls standing near the soda-fountain. One of them, a cute brunette with a ponytail wearing a white shirt and a black pencil skirt with a red belt, was staring at them. Her pretty mouth was parted in a smile and she gave Han a little wave. Han lifted his chin at her as a way of greeting, and then looked down at his food, ignoring her with all his might. 

  
Ben looked at the girl again and noticed her smile faltering a little, before she started talking with her friends. They moved over to the counter to place their order, but Ben caught the girl casting another glance at Han.

“Who’s the girl?” Ben asked quietly.

“Oh, that’s just…” Han started, but got interrupted by Leia’s taunting voice. 

“Oh, that’s Qi’ra. Han has a major crush on her.” 

“I do not!” he objected loudly.

“Oh yes, you do!” Leia countered. “You’ve been pining after her for months. “

“I don’t pine after anyone, not like you pine after stupid Lando, and you’d better keep your mouth shut, Leia!

“Guys, guys, guys!” Ben put his hand on both the kids’ shoulders. 

“We’re in public, okay? Let’s not make a scene?” he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “Let’s not forget that I’m trying to get a job at this place? Not exactly helping me get it by arguing, and quite loudly if I may say so.” 

That seemed to tone the kids down a bit, but their eyes were still throwing daggers at each other. 

“Now, let’s just finish our meal in peace and quiet, and after that Leia can take Lucy to the kids corner to play, and Han can help me prepare for my interview. Do I make myself clear?” 

“Yes, Sir.” The kids replied in unison, and did exactly as they were told. 

When Leia and Lucy were out of sight and they’d gotten rid of the platters, Ben and Han sat down again. 

“So, what do you need help with?” Han asked Ben as he slurped his milkshake. 

“Well, actually, that was just a ruse to get your sisters out of the way.”

Ben grinned at the way Han’s eyebrows lifted in surprise, and instantly lowered in belligerence. 

“I don’t want to talk about it.” 

“Why not?”

“Why won’t you talk about you and Mom?” Han countered as he crossed his arms across his chest. 

“Nice way of answering a question with a question, but that tactic won’t work on me, kid. Now spill,” Ben said softly as he leaned back in his seat. “You like that girl.”

Han looked away, but the petulant pout on his face and the way his brow furrowed told Ben all he needed to know. 

“And from the way she was looking at you, the feeling is mutual,” Ben continued in an equally soft tone. The frown on Han’s face only intensified. 

“So I honestly don’t see a problem here. You should ask her out.” 

Han scoffed. Silence descended for a moment or two, until Ben realized Han wasn’t going to respond. 

“I’m serious, Kid. You should just ask her out.” 

Han looked at him then, anger in his hazel eyes. “I don’t know how. And besides, what if she says no? I don’t want to look like a total loser.” 

Ben’s lips parted in a smile that was pure masculine confidence. “Oh Han…” he sighed, “what if she says yes?”

The manager decided to walk up to them at that moment, so the rest of the conversation was cut short. Ben had to go into the office for a few minutes, but the kids promised to be good. 

It was well into the afternoon before Rey heard the engine from Ben’s car rattling down the driveway. She barged outside and waited for them on the porch steps. When the foursome got out of the car and approached her, she put her hands on her hips. 

“Hey Mom!” the kids laughed out and bounded towards her.    
  


“Where on earth have you guys been? I’ve been worried sick all afternoon!” she lashed out. 

“Well hello to you too, Sweetheart,” Ben drawled, a sly grin on his face. 

“Don’t you Sweetheart’ me, Ben Solo. Next time, at least tell me where you’re going and how long you’ll actually be gone, instead of leaving me a note that says you’ll be back at noon, only to not show up for several more hours!”. 

“Now, Sunshine, don’t be so mad. We just stayed away for a little while longer, and we have a little surprise for you.” Ben’s voice was amicable and just this side of teasing. 

Rey frowned. “What surprise?” she asked, ignoring the way her heart skipped a beat every time he smiled at her and called her endearments like Sweetheart or Sunshine. 

Ben walked up to her and halted right in front of the steps, making the two of them able to look at each other at eye level. He pulled a bottle of wine and a bouquet of desert roses from behind his back. 

Rey’s eyes all but bugged from their sockets. “Ben? Why did you do this?” she asked with a confused smile on her face, lifting the beautiful bright red blooms to her nose. 

“Well, because we have something to celebrate.” 

Rey looked up into his face.“What?” 

Ben smiled and let out a short little burst of laughter. “I have a job.” 

Rey’s eyes widened in surprise. “You found a job?” she asked. 

When Ben just nodded at her, she fired off an entire salvo of questions. “Where? And how? And when do you start?”

“Well, I got a job flipping burgers at Galaxy Burgers. It’s not much, but the pay is not bad, and I get coaching on the job by some old coot called Ackbar. It has a few perks, like dental care and basic medical coverage, and I even managed to talk the manager into hiring Han on during the weekends bussing tables and sweeping the floors. I start on Monday.”

The more Ben spoke, the more Rey’s smile grew. 

_ Imagine that, the high and mighty Benjamin Organa-Skywalker, flippin’ burgers… _

“Oh sweet Maker, Ben, that’s wonderful. I’m so proud of you,” Rey said softly as her eyes misted over. She acted on impulse and pulled him into a hug. Only when he hugged her back, did she realize her mistake. 

_ Because Ben felt like home.  _

He was warm and solid and strong. His arms around her felt as if they were made for holding her. Every single one of her curves was met with a hard plane to match. He smelled divine, like the earth after it had rained, or the sea on a sunny day, or the forest in fall.    
Natural.    
  


_ Home.  _

Rey anxiously broke the embrace, stepping back to put some space between them. 

“We definitely have to celebrate this!” she started, letting out a small nervous laugh she hoped didn’t sound nervous at all. 

“You know what? Why don’t we throw a party?” she said. “I’ll call Rose and Poe and Finn. I’ll have the kids invite a few of their friends and possibly their parents? We can fire up the barbecue and you can practice flipping burgers!”

Ben hadn’t stopped staring at her while she ranted. 

“Well? Don’t just stand there, say something,” she said after the impromptu silence grew a bit too long. 

“I think you look beautiful today,” he whispered. 

When he saw Rey’s eyes grow large and slightly misty, he knew this wasn’t the time to say it yet, but he knew he would say it soon. 

“And I think it’s a great idea. Go inside and write me a grocery list. I’ll run into town quickly again to get everything and then you and the kids can get started on the rest.”

Rey smiled at him softly and nodded. Together, they went inside the house and called the kids to the kitchen. 

  
  
  


What was supposed to be a small party ended up being one of the biggest affairs Rey had ever been to.    
  


Rose, Poe, and Finn had been delighted to hear the good news and had rushed over to help Rey and the kids with the preparations.    
  


Han, Leia and Lucy had been in charge of the phone tree, which turned out to be a big mistake. Han had stuck to the list Rey had given him, but Leia and Lucy had gone overboard, telling the people on the other end of the line that  _ “ _ they were welcome to bring a dish _ ” _ and _ “ _ sure, you can bring your friends over too! it’ll be fun _ ” _ .

Ben and Poe ended up firing up the grill, and they soon were discussing the usual things like football, cars, and women and drinking beers while watching the mob mull around. Hux stood with them, the seemingly willing victim for Ben and Poe’s good-natured jokes. Rose and Rey had set up a buffet on one end of the yard and put blankets and pillows down so people could sit if they wanted to. As the barbecue progressed, the party moved from the backyard to the stretch of beach that bordered Rey’s little cottage.    
  


A bonfire was lit. Someone had brought a guitar, and soon the remaining crowd was signing songs and drinking spirits from cheap plastic cups. The kids were still running around, looking for seashells, or drawing pictures in the sand. 

Ben sat next to Rey, and noticed Han walking along the shore with the girl he’d seen at the burger place earlier. He smiled, and pulled Rey a little closer. The sound of ship horns blaring in the distance caught his attention. 

“Why do ships always blow their horns three times like that?” he asked softly. 

Rey chuckled low as she turned her head to look up at him from beneath her lashes. 

“Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of the legend? “

“What legend?” 

“The legend of Arturo and Catarina.” Rey said softly, a smile still clinging to her lips. “It’s quite the lovestory. Belongs right there at the top with Romeo and Juliet and their likes.”

Ben smiled down at her pretty face and murmured. 

“No, I can’t say I have. Although my memory has been known to fail me from time to time.” 

Rey let out a bark of laughter and Ben joined in merrily. 

“Care to tell me?” 

“Sure.” Rey straightened a little next to him. “Arturo was a young Spanish immigrant who fell in love with the beautiful Catarina. She fell in love with him as well and the pair was in seventh heaven. Unfortunately, Catarina’s father, the mayor of the town, did not agree of their courtship. Arturo was a lowly fisherman and could not possibly be deemed suitable for Catarina. He ordered Arturo to leave, which he did, but not before he managed to see Catarina one last time. Arturo told her he would return to her, and that he would blow his horn three times as he neared the port, so she would know it was him. Then they would be able to elope together.” 

“Sweet story. What happened to them?” Ben asked softly, honestly curious. 

“It’s quite tragic really.” Rey continued softly as she stared out at the waves. “Arturo came back and sounded the horn three times. Catarina heard it and jumped into the water to swim to him. She kept shouting out his name, but a thick mist hung over the water’s surface, so it was impossible for Arturo to see her from the ship’s railing. He jumped overboard, intent on finding her. They shouted each other’s name repeatedly, but to no avail. They ended up drowning in the icy waters.”

“Wow.” Ben’s voice held a clearly startled note. “That was not how I thought it was going to end.” 

Rey laughed. “Well, I did say it was tragic.” 

“That you did.” Ben smiled down at her and whispered softly: “I’d keep looking for you too. No matter how bad the odds, I’d always find a way to let you know I was there.” 

Rey had been drinking since the start of the barbecue and was feeling a little mellow from the alcohol buzz, so she didn’t even bother to fight the feelings that had been swirling in her heart for the past few weeks.. She just put her head on his shoulder. 

Ben kissed the top of her head and felt her sigh. He looked down at her, and she shifted slightly so she could meet his gaze. She gave him the sweetest smile he’d ever seen, and he couldn’t fight himself anymore. 

Right here, right now, he could admit that he was in love with his wife. That this must have been what it was like before his accident. The more he got to know her, the deeper she became embedded in his heart. From the moment he had woken up in the hospital and had seen her face, he had felt a connection with her. No matter how much he had tried to fight it, that connection was there, and kept growing stronger and stronger with every passing day.    
If the way he was feeling right now was any indication, he must have definitely loved Rey with every fiber of his being. No doubt in his mind. 

Rey’s big hazel eyes were staring up at him, the look so adoring it was almost too much to bear. So, he leaned forward and tenderly brushed his lips against hers. Rey sighed deeply, as if she’d been waiting her whole life for him to kiss her and that was his undoing. Ben cupped her face and deepened the kiss, reveling in the new, yet somehow familiar sensations that coursed through him.    
  


It took them a while, but when they came up for air. As their eyes met, they both knew they would never be the same again. Ben let out a shuddering breath and gave Rey a shaky smile that she returned with a shy one of her own. They kissed again and then snuggled together under a blanket, watching the waves crash into the beach and the kids chase each other during some sort of crazy game. 

After about half an hour, someone called out for Ben to make a speech. He didn’t have the heart to let these people down. Some of them were his new colleagues, and most of them were Rey’s friends and neighbours. Even the doctor and some of the nurses who’d taken care of him in the hospital were present, and he just couldn’t say no. In fact, he had never felt this accepted before in his life. So he got up to his full height and squared his shoulders. 

“Okay, so… uhm…” he started and let out a self-conscious little chuckle, causing most of their guests to do the same. 

“Here’s the thing. When I woke up in the hospital, apparently I no longer knew who I was. And I was so sure that this all couldn’t be true. I couldn’t be married to Rey, I couldn’t have these kids with her. I was so sure that this was all wrong.”    
  


He looked down at her and watched as her eyes grew big and teary. He glanced around the crowd and continued softly. 

“But then days went by, and I started to realize that it was true. I may live in a pretty small little house, but it’s one hell of a home. I am a father to three amazing kids, who give me purpose in life.” 

He looked down at Rey again and cupped her cheek. “And I have this amazing wife, who is beautiful and strong and determined. Who will never back down from a fight and won’t put up with my bullshit and still manages to make me laugh when I feel like dying inside.” 

_ This is it…  _ he thought.  _ No turning back _ . 

“A wife I love more than I ever thought it was possible to love another human being. And how sad is it that I can’t remember making her mine?” 

Ben took a deep, fortifying breath and then did something that made the entire crowd draw a collective breath. 

“Which is why I feel like I need to do this.” he said as he got down on one knee and took hold of Rey’s hand. 

“Rey Kenobi, not even amnesia is strong enough to make me forget all the reasons why you’re the only one for me. No matter where life takes us from here, I know it’ll be beautiful. And I promised you that if I don’t get my memory back, we’d make new ones to replace the ones I’d lost. So... Please do me the honor of making you my wife all over again?”    
  
Rey gasped as he pulled a simple golden ring with a tiny little diamond in the center from his pocket and held it up. 

She covered her lips with trembling fingers and forgot all about the guilt and the shame she had felt only moments ago when Ben had started his speech.    
  


_ He said he loves me!  _

Tears streamed down her face as she nodded her reply, murmuring a watery yes that was barely audible.    
  


Ben broke out in the widest smile she’d ever seen, pushed the ring over her finger, and then pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. The crowd around them cheered and clapped, but it was lost on the pair. 

After that, the party started dwindling down, the guests wanting to grant the newly engaged married couple some much needed privacy. They quickly tidied things up together and then everyone went their separate ways. Ben carried a sleeping Lucy upstairs, followed by an obviously very tired Leia and a Han who looked as if his whole world had just been turned upside down for the better. 

  
When he got back down, Rey was waiting in the living room. She had her hair down, and held out her hand to him. He wouldn’t be sleeping on the couch tonight.


	9. Chapter 9: The discovery

  
  


Rey woke up, wrapped up in Ben’s strong arms. Happiness and joy filled her heart and she looked up into his face, only to discover he was already awake.

“Oh!” she let out a surprised sound. “You’re awake.” 

“Good morning Beautiful,” he murmured as he brushed his lips against hers. Rey felt her entire body hum with that delightful energy that always struck her when he touched or kissed her. She couldn’t contain the smile that spread across her lips. 

“Good morning Handsome.”

“How was your night, Mrs Solo?” he asked her, his beautiful brown eyes staring down at her, the color like a rich molten chocolate, filled with a tenderness that moved her very soul. 

“Well, I didn’t get as much sleep as I normally do, but I can’t seem to find myself regretting it,” she teased with a lift of her brow. 

“Is that so?” he asked, lifting himself to lean his head on his hand so he could stare down at her from a more comfortable angle. “And why is that?”

Rey gave him a seductive little smile and bit her lower lip before answering. 

“Well, it turns out that I have a very eager and handsy husband who just would not let me go to sleep.”

This caused Ben to laugh. “Oh really?” he retorted with humor lacing his voice. “Because if I remember correctly, it was you who kept begging for more…” he said as he tapped her nose playfully. 

“Are you sure?” she muttered as her hands slid over his chest. “Because your memory hasn’t been at its best lately.”

“Oh, you…” His eyes widened in surprise at her boldness. He started tickling her and she screamed and yelped and laughed while she writhed across the bed, trying to escape him. 

A loud pounding on the door halted them. They froze when Rose’s voice sounded loud and clear. 

“Alright, you lovebirds, time to get up. You’ve had your fun, but we have a lot of work to do today. So get dressed and don’t get sidetracked. You have ten minutes to get ready. Time starts now.”

The sound of tiny yet determined feet walking away from their door made Rey and Ben share a look. They both burst out in laughter, and with one final kiss, they decided not to thwart Rose today. 

They got dressed and stepped out of their bedroom nine minutes later. Rose was already working in the kitchen, cleaning up the mess that remained from last night’s party. The kids were outside, gathering trash from the backyard and the beach. Rose looked at Ben and Rey and shook her head. She handed them a mug of coffee and finally broke the terse silence that hung in the air. 

“It’s about kriffing time you two got it on,” she stated bluntly, making Ben and Rey blush. “I was at the brink of throwing up from all the moon-eyes you were making.” 

Rose sipped her own cup of coffee and then stared at Rey with a mischievous grin. “We’ll talk later,” she said to Rey with a wink. 

Ben swallowed, and Rey all but choked on her coffee, but neither responded. 

After that, Ben said he’d handle the kitchen, and the women went out to the backyard. 

Several minutes into the cleaning, after having time for introspection after all the commotion of yesterday, Rey started talking. 

“I have to tell him,” Rey said softly. 

“What?” 

Rey looked up at Rose, looking miserable. 

“No! Rey!” Rose hissed. “You can’t.” 

“I have to, Rose.” 

“Rey, you can’t. If you tell him now, you’ll ruin everything.”

“Rose, I can’t keep lying to him. It’s not fair.”

“But things are going so well right now. Why would you want to destroy that?” 

“Because it isn’t right! Rose, he deserves to know the truth.”

“Rey…”

A deep voice suddenly interrupted what was rapidly becoming a heated discussion between the two women. 

“Who deserves to know the truth?” 

Ben stood a few feet away, holding another roll of plastic trash bags. He was confused, but he’d heard most of the conversation and something had clenched in his gut. 

“It’s nothing,” Rose said quickly. Too quickly. 

“You,” Rey said at the same time. 

Ben’s eyebrows shot up, and he could feel his chest starting to thrum with nerves. “Okay... “ his voice trailed off as he looked from one to the other. 

Rey swallowed past the lump in her throat. 

“Well, Ben, you see, the thing is…” 

She swallowed again, and Rose took advantage of the moment. 

“Rey’s been covering for me.” 

Both Ben and Rey suddenly stared at Rose with slack jaws. 

“You see, I’ve been having an affair with Finn. Armitage doesn’t know. And Finn doesn’t want Poe to find out. So Rey has been covering for me. That’s one of the reasons she’s been gone so often.” 

Rose was rambling and by the time she was done with this crazy explanation, she was out of breath. “Phew!” she exclaimed as she wiped imaginary sweat off her brow. “I feel so much better now that’s out in the open. Don’t you?” she asked Rey, who was looking at her with thunder in her eyes. 

“No…” Rey started, but was interrupted by Ben. 

“Oh! Now I get it!” he exclaimed just as excitedly as Rose had. “Sweet Maker, Rose, you had me worried there for a second.” He laughed, relief flooding his features as he handed her the garbage bags. 

“Yeah, I know. I know it’s a terrible thing to do, but I just…. I mean, you know how it is, right?”

“Yeah, it is terrible. You have to tell him the truth, Rose. Poe doesn’t deserve to be treated like this. Nor Hux for that matter.”

“Yeah, I know, but I …”

“Enough!” Rey shouted. 

Rose and Ben both stared at her as if she’d lost her mind, but Rey didn’t care. Things were too complicated, too messed up. She loved Ben, and if he truly loved her back, they’d find a way to make it work. But they couldn’t build a future based on a lie. Strengthened by her resolve, she straightened her back and faced Ben. 

“The truth is, we’re not married.”

_ There! It’s out in the open.  _

She watched as a frown crept over Ben’s face. 

“We’re not married?” 

“Yes,” Rey replied as she wrapped her arms around her waist. “We’re not married.” 

Ben was quiet and Rose stood to the side, her expression one of total disbelief. Suddenly, a look of understanding crossed Ben’s face. 

“Oh! Is that it?” he asked with a little laugh. “You’re worried that everyone will find out we never really got married in the first place when we go through the second one? Don’t worry, Sweetheart, we’ll make sure no one ever knows. I’ll apply for the wedding certificate and make sure the clerk won’t breathe to another living soul.” 

Rey’s face fell. How on earth was this even possible? “No, Ben, that’s not…” 

She let out a groan of frustration. “I mean, you and I are not married. You are a spoiled, rich, entitled jerk who hired me to clean his yacht and then fired me. You got into an accident, I saved your life and lied, telling the people from the hospital that we were married so I got to find out how you were doing. When they told me you had amnesia, I decided to have a little payback and make you suffer the way you made me suffer.”

She was shouting by the time she was done, and all she was met with was silence and an obviously very confused Ben. 

“Uhm…” he started, and then snapped his mouth shut again. When he spoke, he sounded very dubious. “Would you run that by me again?”

Once again, Rey groaned in frustration. “This is not your home, you probably live somewhere like Coruscant or Cloud City or some other big city. I am not your wife.” She saw the kids walk towards her in her peripheral vision. “And these are not your children,” Rey shouted as she pointed at the kids. “Kids, tell this man the truth,” she ordered them. 

All three looked at her wide-eyed and slightly scared. Han was the first to speak. 

“Are you feeling okay, Mom?” 

“Yeah, Mom, you’re acting kinda weird. Do you need us to call someone? The doctor maybe?” Leia said slowly, as if Rey was a dimwit who couldn’t be trusted to understand. 

Rey huffed and looked down at Lucy. “Lucy, tell me the truth. Who is this man?” 

Lucy looked up at Ben with big, luminous eyes. 

_ “Not me, sweetheart. I’m your dad. And I’m not going anywhere.”  _

The words swirled in the little girl’s mind and she looked up at Rey. 

“He’s my daddy.”

Rey looked as if the little girl had just planted a knife between her ribs. “What is  _ wrong  _ with you three?” 

“Rey, Sweetheart, I think it might be better if you laid down or something. You’re not making much sense right now.” Ben’s hand clasped her shoulder, and she saw nothing but kindness in his angular face. 

“No! You don’t understand. This,” she gestured between the two of them and then in a larger wider circle, incorporating the kids and the house and everything else, “ isn’t real.”    
  


She walked up to him and cupped his face. Rey let her thumb trace down his scar slowly, following the movement with her eyes. When her gaze met Ben’s, there were tears misting her vision. 

“I love you Ben. More than I ever thought I would, or more than I even thought I could. And as much as I want this future for us, I don’t want it to begin on a base of lies.”

“Rey,” Ben said with the hint of a smile curving his lips, “it’s okay, you don’t have to do this. I understand.” 

Rey frowned and started shaking her head, but Ben intervened by taking her hands.    
  


“Now, I’m going back inside and I’m going to start making lunch. Wipe that worried look off your face, nothing you can ever say to me will ever make me change my mind about wanting you.”

He kissed her lips and walked past her, heading inside. 

Rey looked at Rose and the kids with anger flaring in her eyes. 

“What the hell is wrong with you?” she shouted. “How could you do this to me?”

Rose looked flustered, but it was Han who spoke up. “You were about to ruin everything, Mom. If you kept that shit up, Dad would have left.” 

“First of all, don’t use that word again with me, do you understand me young man?” she spat, pointing her finger at Han accusingly. “Second of all, he is not your father, alright? He is just a man whose life I saved after he fell off a boat. And he isn’t a very nice one at that!” 

“How can you say that?” Leia raised her voice, vehemence flashing in her dark brown eyes. 

“You just stood there, claiming to love him more than anything! He’s been nothing but kind and sweet and gentle to all of us! He takes care of us, just like any father would.” 

“And he is too my daddy!” Lucy chimed in for good measure. 

Han took a step forward and looked at Rey with sadness plastered all over his face. “He is our dad, Mom. Just like you’re our mother. Maybe not by blood, but bound by love. That’s how you always put it, right?” He pointed at the house and spoke with determination. “That man inside has been the best thing that ever happened to us aside from you, and I’ll fight with everything I have to keep him.” He stared at her pointedly for a full five seconds, his glare piercing, much like Ben’s was. 

“Let’s go guys, let’s go help Dad inside the house.”

They were all so absorbed in their fighting, no one had noticed the limo pull up the driveway until it was practically in front of the house. As if on cue, they all turned around to watch as the driver got out and walked over to the passenger door. 

When it was opened, a young svelte brunette emerged, wearing a charcoal Chanel suit and a pair of Louboutins. She took several steps their way and paused to look up at the cottage with disdain. 

Then, a second passenger got out of the limo: a tall, gnarled old man, with a disfigured face and a weird tux with a gaudy gold vest that hung from hunched shoulders. He had what seemed like multiple burns and scars all over his face and hands. 

As the pair approached them, Rey could feel her stomach drop. 

_ This is it. My lies have caught up with me, and now I am going to pay the price. _

“I am looking for Benjamin Organa-Skywalker. From the information we have gathered, we have concluded that he has been residing here for the past nine weeks. Is that correct?” 

The man in the gold waistcoat had a coarse, gravelly voice that made shivers of apprehension run up and down Rey’s back. She glanced at the kids and Rose and swallowed past the giant lump in her throat. 

“I…” she started but her voice trailed off and she was unable to utter another word. 

Ben chose that exact moment to come outside the house, clad in faded jeans, a sleeveless shirt, and a plaid shirt over that, unbuttoned. He halted in the door, holding it open for BeeBee to slip past the screen. The silly dog bolted out the door as if the devil was on its heels, causing Ben to walk out onto the porch laughing. His eyes followed the dog out and watched how it pranced around Rey and the kids, only to bound out towards the slender brunette and the old, disfigured man with a garish gold vest. 

“Benjamin?” the pair said simultaneously, unpleasant surprise plastered all over their faces. 

“Oh, hello James! Hey Bazine! Good to see you!” he shouted out with a smile and lifted his hand in greeting. “I just need to head back inside and get BeeBee’s leash, I’ll be right back.”

The woman who Ben called Bazine looked horrified at the sight of him. The man with the golden vest seemed just as shocked. He turned his attention to Rey and in a low and menacing voice ground out through clenched teeth, “What have you done to Benjamin?” 

Rey swallowed again and was about to say she hadn’t done anything when Ben came back through the door. He had BeeBee’s leash in his hands, but the look on his face was frightfully serious. He came down the steps as if in slow motion. He looked at Rey and there was no mistaking the confusion in his handsome features. 

“I remember.” 

When Rey didn’t speak, he continued softly. “I remember who I am.” He straightened his shoulders and a weird half smile curved his luscious lips. Ben cupped Rey’s face and laughed. “I remember who I am!” he said with another laugh and pulled her into a hug.“I am not crazy! I knew that there was more to this whole thing, I told you so didn’t I?”

Rey held onto him tightly, her eyes squeezed shut because she knew what was about to happen. She was going to lose him. 

He stepped back and looked down into her face and spoke with conviction. “I am Benjamin Organa-Solo, Vice-President of First Order Enterprises. I live in a penthouse in Coruscant. I enjoy cruising, so I recently bought my own boat that led me to this town.” He laughed again.    
  


“I remember!” he all but shouted and looked around. When he saw the children’s saddened faces, and Rose’s guilty expression, the situation dawned on him. 

“Wait…” his voice trailed off. Pain and hurt flashed in his eyes and he looked at Rey. “You weren’t lying.” His face scrunched up in disbelief. “You…” His voice broke and it caused tears to well up in Rey’s eyes.    
  


He dragged a hand through his hair and covered his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You really are a conniving little wench aren’t you?” He spat the words as if they left a foul taste in his mouth. “You knew what happened, and you knew who I was, and you deliberately chose to let me believe that this was my home.” He choked back tears and continued with a voice that was barely audible. 

“And the kids... “ He looked up at the sky and blinked several times until he felt secure enough to continue. “You led me to believe they were mine. Why? Why would you do that? Why would you do something so infinitely cruel? What kind of an awful person are you?” He shouted those last words. 

“Ben, I…” Rey started, but he cut her off before she could say anything else. 

“Save it.” His voice was cold and harsh, just like the icy look in his eyes. “There is nothing you could ever say that will ever justify this. I’m going inside to pack my stuff and I’m leaving.”

With those words, he walked back into the house. 

Rey was stunned into silence. Heartache unlike anything she had ever experienced crashed into her and she was paralyzed by it.    
  


It only took less than a minute for Ben to appear again. 

“You know what? There’s nothing in that house that’s mine.” He headed for the limo, followed closely by the old man. 

Han called out to him then. “Dad?” 

Without even looking back, Ben answered him. “I’m not your dad, kid.”

Rey watched him go with tears spilling down her cheeks.    
The young woman in the designer outfit walked up to her. “Did you honestly believe you would be able to pull this off? What on earth did you hope to gain from this? His money? His affection? Please…” Her voice trailed off and disdain and contempt were written all over her sophisticated features. “The only thing that’s going to come out of this, is a lawsuit. You’ll hear from our attorneys soon. Have a nice day.” With those parting words, she got in the limousine as well. 

  
The car started to pull away slowly. The kids ran up to the limo and started banging on the windows. 

“Dad! Dad, don’t go!” Leia shouted. 

“Daddy! Don’t leave!” Little Lucy’s voice was frantic.

“You are too our Dad, you said so!” Han’s voice was accusing, so full of anger and hurt. He kicked the door and shouted once more rage merging with his plea. “Dad! Come back!”

But the car kept driving on. The kids chased it for a while. Lucy kept at it the longest. 

“Daddy! Daddy, come back! I’ll be good, Daddy, I promise! Come back!” When the limo accelerated, Lucy started running, her little fists still pounding on the window. “You said you wouldn’t leave, Daddy! You promised! You said you wouldn’t leave!”

But soon the limousine became too fast for Lucy’s little legs to keep up. It drove away and out of sight without ever slowing.    
  


Rey ran up to Lucy and together they fell to their knees, crying their eyes out. 

  
  
  
  



	10. Chapter 10: The resolution and happily ever after

Ben stood at the back of the tiny cruise ship, looking out over the port.    
  


They were leaving.    
  


He had his memory back, sure, but he didn’t know how to handle any of it. This whole situation was confusing and painful and he would rather forget any of it had ever happened. His stomach hadn’t stopped churning since the discovery, his heart clenching painfully in his chest. He still couldn’t believe Rey had done something so vile, so incredibly vicious. She just didn’t seem like the type of woman to do something like that. 

For Bazine on the other hand, that would be right up her alley.

He stood there, in his designer clothes, with a glass of expensive whiskey in his hand, staring out at the lights of the little town they were leaving. To his left, on a solitary hill, there was a single light. It came from the cottage that he had considered his home for the past nine weeks. 

He should stop thinking like that. 

It wasn’t his home. 

Rey wasn’t his wife.    
They weren’t his children. 

Every time he reminded himself of those facts, it was like a stake was being driven into his heart until it pierced his very soul. 

He loved them. Dear Maker, how he loved them. He had given them all of himself, all his best. He’d given a part of himself that no one had ever seen from him before, the part that he kept hidden deep inside behind impenetrable walls of bravado and his hardened businessman’s appearance. 

When he couldn’t stand the sight any longer, he headed inside. Snoke and Bazine were lounging in the living room, each holding a very colorful cocktail in their hands. 

“Ah, Benjamin, there you are! What took you so long?” Snoke said amicably. 

“I needed a bit of fresh air,” he simply replied. 

When he didn’t say anything else, Bazine continued in her sultry voice. “Thank goodness we found you when we did. Another week in their presence, and you would have been wearing flannel underwear and driving an old pick-up or something equally preposterous.” She sipped her daiquiri daintily, unaware of the stab in the heart she had unwittingly given Ben. 

“Yes, indeed, thank goodness that we finally received a tip that led us to you. We’ve been worried about you, my boy.”

“There’s nothing to be worried about,” Ben bit out a little harsher than he intended. “They treated me very well.”

“Oh Benjamin, really…” Bazine let her voice trail off. “How can you even say such a thing? They made you believe in a false identity. That can not be called treating someone well.” 

Ben looked at her levelly. “They were never unkind to me. How’s that for phrasing?” 

“Now, Benjamin, don’t react that way. Bazine is right. They did lie to you for several weeks, making you believe you were someone you’re not.” 

Ben sighed and looked at his boss. Several moments of silence followed, causing the young waiter who had been standing in the corner to step up. “Would anyone care for some refreshments?” 

“Oh, yes, a beer would be wonderful thank you, thank you, Mitaka,” Ben said quietly, stunning everyone in the room. 

Ben watched covertly as Snoke and Bazine shared a look. He frowned and looked up at Mitaka. The steward seemed just as surprised as them. He realized it was because he had been polite to Mitaka and because he had dared to ask for something as ordinary as beer. Color tinted his cheeks, but he did not say another word.    
  


Ben walked up to the window and stared out. The ocean. Nothing around them but the ocean.

He knew now why he felt so drawn to it. Why he felt the connection. It was his love for the water, the openness of the sea that drew him in. The freedom it symbolized. Yet at this moment, it didn’t feel like freedom at all. Right now, that very openness felt stifling, like it was preventing him from being where he needed to be. Where he wanted to be.    
  


_ With Rey and the kids.  _   
  


Ben shook his head. No. That part of his life was over. She lied. They lied. 

Then why did he miss them so much? Why did it feel as if that lie had been more real than anything else in his life so far? 

Rey had not faked her affection for him. He knew it in his soul, just as surely as he knew he really did love her. It was the truth. But how could he ignore what she had done?    
  


He sighed softly and turned around. Mitaka was gone, off to get his beer no doubt. A platter of hors d’oeuvres stood off to the side. He picked it up and walked over to Bazine and Snoke.    
  


“Would anyone care for hors d’oeuvres?” He asked the question with a smile, but it withered when he saw the almost lethal look in Bazine’s eyes. 

“What is wrong with you, Benjamin?” she exclaimed in a shrill voice. 

Snoke’s gravelly voice chimed in. “Indeed, Benjamin, your behavior is most extraordinary. What on earth has gotten into you? You are behaving like a commoner.”

Ben just looked from one to the other with a confused frown on his face. “I just figured you might be hungry.” 

“It seems we got you out just in time. Or perhaps, it might already have been too late.” Snoke’s voice held a measure of threat. “I hope that this kind of attitude can be easily remedied, because honestly, I do not care for it. Such actions cannot be condoned for a man of your status.”

Ben felt the words hit him like a bullet, each syllable an insult. Had he truly changed so much? Perhaps he had. 

“Yes, James, you may be right. I apologize. I hope you can forgive me. I did have a rather big blow to the head, after all,” he said calmly, clenching his teeth in annoyance the entire time. “I do believe I should retire. Perhaps that will restore me back to my usual self again somewhat. Excuse me.” With those words and a small nod to Snoke and Bazine, he turned around and left the living room. 

He met Mitaka down the corridor, and he quickly said he’d have his beer downstairs in the galley. When they got there, there were several members of his crew gathered together, playing a game of cards and laughing. They all stilled at the sight of him. 

“Mind if I hang around with you guys for a while?” he asked in greeting. 

The crew shared a wary look, but nevertheless pulled up a chair for him. 

Several hours later, they were still at it, playing cards and drinking games. Ben had spilled his guts, and the men all had something to say about it. After a while, they had to leave, either back to their post or to their beds. It ended up being just him and Mitaka. 

“Would you care for another beer, sir?” the shy man asked him with a smile. 

“No thanks, Mitaka.” When the Brit gave him a funny look, Ben couldn’t stop a chuckle from rising. “What?” he asked. 

“I cannot get over the fact that you say please and thank you now,” Mitaka said with a mystified smile. “Begging your pardon, sir,” he quickly added. 

“Yeah, well…” Ben’s smile slowly died on his lips. “I haven’t exactly been the kindest person around, have I?” he said quietly. 

“Well, not exactly, Sir.” 

Ben looked up at Mitaka and saw something in those dark eyes that compelled him to say the words that bubbled up. “I am truly sorry, Mitaka. I have been an awful employer, and a horrible person to you. You have always treated me with kindness and patience and done whatever I asked you to, no matter how trivial or intricate. And I never once even thanked you. I am so…,” he swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat, “so very sorry.” 

Mitaka seemed as affected by his words as Ben was himself. “That’s quite alright, sir.” Mitaka spoke softly. “In fact, I am almost happy that the accident happened to you, no matter how unfortunate. Most of us are stuck in our way of life, being taught to behave and think one way and acting on it. You, on the other hand, have been given the unique chance to see life from an entirely new perspective, without any prejudice or preconceived notions on how things should be. That is truly remarkable. And I commend you, sir. It seems that you have learned how to benefit from your renewed situation.” Mitaka gave him a little smile, ignoring the bright sheen in his boss’s eyes. “No matter what those snobs upstairs think of it,” he said with a wink. 

Ben laughed, and the action made the tears slip from his eyes. He wiped at them self-consciously. “Oh, Mitaka…” he started with a sigh, “what am I going to do?” He looked out at the ocean and another pang of something that resembled homesickness squeezed his chest, his misery painted all over his features. “I don’t know where I belong anymore.”

  
“On the contrary, Sir.” Mitaka spoke in a voice barely above a whisper. “I believe you knew exactly where you belong.” 

Ben’s dark gaze met Mitaka’s sparkling one and it felt as if everything just clicked into place. “You’re right,” he said as his eyes widened and a broken smile curved his lips. “You are absolutely right,” he whispered. Ben got up in a flash and shoved a hand through his hair, slightly lightheaded from this revelation. He took two steps in Mitaka’s direction and clapped a hand on the steward’s shoulder. 

“Thank you, Mitaka.” Ben’s voice rang with true sincerity. “I definitely owe you one.” 

Mitaka ducked his head briefly. When he looked back up, mischief danced in the Brit’s eyes. “Well, Sir, should you ever find yourself in want of a reliable steward or personal assistant, you know where to find me.” 

Ben laughed heartily. “I sure do. Expect a call from me soon.” He winked, then turned around and headed upstairs. He immediately went to the captain. 

“Captain,” he said in a firm and commanding tone, much like he used to use before he’d had the accident. 

“Mr Organa-Skywalker?” the old man asked, his weathered face wrinkled in confusion. “What are you doing up at this hour, Sir?” 

“That doesn’t matter now. I need you to turn this ship around.”

“Excuse me, Sir?” The poor captain seemed to grow more confused with every passing second. 

Ben laughed at the comical expression on the captain’s face. “I need you to turn this ship around and head back to the Takodana port,” Ben said once more, his voice clear and brooking no argument. “I’m going home.” He smiled widely. 

The captain seemed to understand then. “As you wish, Sir.” The old man nodded with an answering smile of his own as he started to slowly turn the ship around. 

  
  
  
  


Morning came bright and early. Rey sat on the porch steps, holding a cold cup of coffee. She’d been out there most of the night, crying her eyes out. 

Last night had been horrible. 

Leia had thrown a fit worthy of a toddler’s tantrum. She had tried to get Rey to go after Ben, to make him come back, and finally exploded into a great ball of rage and pain. She’d been inconsolable and frantic. She’d even thrown up twice from getting herself so worked up and Rey was worried about her.   
Han had gone cold. He hadn’t said another word to her or even deemed her worthy of another glance. He had just given her one shake of his head, his eyes filled with a fair share of disgust and contempt, as only teenagers could conjure. 

Rose had stayed for a while, trying to calm everyone down. She’d tried to talk to her, but Rey wasn’t in any kind of talking mood. 

She’d finally found her prince charming, the one man who ticked all the boxes of what she wanted from a man. Ironically, it was the same man she’d thought she hated most of all. She’d tried to teach him a lesson in humility, and she was the one who ended up being toned down a few pegs. 

Now, here she sat on the porch steps, staring out at the sunrise over the ocean, and scolded herself for losing her mind and her heart. She reprimanded herself for allowing herself to forget that she had lied to him from the beginning, for forgetting that none of it was real. 

_ Except my feelings. Those are very real.  _

Rey sighed and shoved a hand through her unruly locks. She longed to cry more, but she was out of tears. She put her mug down and wrapped her arms around herself. BeeBee decided to join her, whining and putting her paw on Rey’s thigh. 

“I know, BeeBee,” Rey muttered under her breath. “I miss him too.” She scratched the dog behind the ears and sighed. 

Rey sat there until the sun was high in the sky. She could hear the kids inside the house, puttering around in the kitchen, making a mess of things no doubt. 

With a deep sigh and a very obvious lack of luster, she got up and trudged into the house, her feet filled with lead. No doubt there would be another confrontation, but they needed to get back to their old routine.    
  


Rey slowly made her way to the kitchen and much to her surprise, her three children were sitting at the kitchen table, fully washed and dressed and ready to face whatever fate decided to throw their way. The determination on their faces was admirable, considering the events of last night. 

“Morning,” she whispered. 

“Morning, Mom.” the girls answered in unison. Han just gave her a dirty look, and she felt her shame and guilt surge. 

“You all look ready to tackle the day.”

“That’s ‘cause we’re on a mission,” Lucy piped up. 

Rey’s eyebrows shot up. “A mission?” she asked. “ What mission?” 

Three pairs of eyes stared at her. 

“We’re getting Dad back.” Han’s voice was cold. His gaze was belligerent, his chin jutted forward, and his lips held that stubborn look she secretly loved. 

“Listen guys, I don’t…”

Han interrupted her before she could get another word out. “We’re getting Dad back,” he said forcefully. He glared at her, his gaze unrelenting. “We don’t care what you say. He belongs with us, and we’re getting him back.”

Rey’s mouth fell open in surprise. 

“We put all of our savings together, and it should be enough to rent a small boat,” Leia added. 

Rey looked from one face to another. These children were her life. Everything she had ever done, had been for them. She had lied on her application form for them, she had fought for them, she had taken on two jobs and scratched and clawed for every crumb and had rubbed every nickle just to make sure these kids never had to go without.    
  


She realized now that she had tried, but she had never been quite successful at being both a mother and a father to them. That much had become glaringly obvious the moment Ben had entered their lives. He had stepped up to the plate and left some pretty big shoes to fill. She knew she’d never be able to fill the hole he’d left in their lives. Her children were just as heartbroken as she was, that much was obvious. 

Han stood, his chair scraping the floor loudly. “We talked about this all night. We are getting our father back.” His lips pursed, and Rey could clearly see Ben’s mannerisms in this young boy’s countenance. Her heart ached for a plethora of new reasons as she watched her son mimicking the quirks of the man he considered his father. His next words drew her to a full stop. “Are you with us, Mom?”

Rey looked into his handsome face and saw exactly how determined he was. She glanced at Leia and Lucy, and saw that same stubborn tilt in the girls. She sighed and shoved a hand through her hair. 

In a tired voice, she gave them her answer. “There is no need to hire a boat.”

Outrage instantly flared on the children’s faces and they were about to object when Rey held up her hands and silenced them with her next sentence. “We’ll call Finn and Poe and ask for their speedboat, and we’ll call Rose to get his address.” 

The surprise on their faces would have been comical, if not for the gravity of the situation. They all ran up to her and hugged her close. Rey kissed them on the top of their heads and pulled them in tightly. 

“Let’s go get our Dad back,” she whispered. 

  
  
  
  


When morning came, James Snoke looked out the window of his cabin, only to discover that the land was on the wrong side of the ship. Enraged, he put on his robes and ran upstairs. 

Ben was leaning against the railing, nursing a mug of coffee as he stared out at the water. 

“What on earth is going on? Why is the land on the….”Snoke’s voice trailed off as he caught sight of the port of Takodana. “Oh Benjamin,” he sighed, “don’t tell me you… You want to go back to that hellhole?”

Ben straightened and for the first time felt like standing up to his boss and mentor. “Actually, James, yes I do.”

“I don’t understand.” The old man’s horrific face was even more unsightly than ever before. He glared at Ben, his mouth twisted in contempt. “You have a life thousands, if not millions, of people dream of, and yet you would choose to throw it all away for the sake of a girl?”

Ben just smiled at him. “Yes.” 

Snoke’s beady eyes flashed. “I won’t allow it.” 

Ben barked out a short laugh as he crossed his arms over his chest. “There’s nothing to allow. You cannot dictate my personal life, James.”

“Is that right?” Snoke’s voice was so low, it sounded more like a grumble. 

“That’s right.” 

“Well, actually, I can. If you do this, Benjamin, you are fired.”

Ben looked at his boss, with his maimed face and his odd preference for garish golden robes and his threatening countenance. “Are you serious?” he asked, bewildered that the man he had once looked up to beyond anything would stoop this low. Why it surprised him, he had no idea. It wasn’t as if his boss hadn’t done this sort of thing to other employees over the years. 

“Yes, I am.” 

They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, their glares piercing and unrelenting. 

Ben finally broke the impasse. 

“Fine. You win.”

The smug look on the old man’s face was almost sickening until Ben continued. 

“I quit.”

“What?” Snoke’s eyes all but bulged out of his head. 

“I said I quit.” 

“You can’t quit.” 

“I can and I will.” 

“Now, listen to me, Benjamin.”

“No, James, you listen to me!” Ben shouted as he stepped closer and pointed his finger at Snoke’s chest. “For years I have slaved away for you. No matter what it was you asked, I did. I worked eighty hour weeks, I followed you around to every gala and fundraiser and anything you demanded of me without even so much as a single complaint. I have looked up to you and followed your example and I thrived because of it.” 

He took a deep breath and gave a short shake of his head. “But I’ll tell you, I have never felt more alive and more useful and more loved than I did when I was in that dilapidated cottage with Rey and the kids. And now that I have experienced that kind of life, I swear,” he said with a small laugh, “everything else pales in comparison.” 

Anger radiated off Snoke like tidal waves. “I’ll not stand for this,” he bit out. “You’re a fool to think that that woman cares about you. She has done nothing but lie to you and cheated you into believing anything she wanted you to believe. She will continue to do so, I guarantee it!” 

Ben’s mouth pursed in irritation. “Well, then it’ll be no different than being around you,” he bit out. 

Suddenly, the sound of a horn blaring caught their attention. Ben turned around and saw a small speedboat heading their way. When Snoke saw it, he growled in the back of his throat and shot off, heading towards the captain. Two more blows from the horn sounded, making a total of three. It made Ben squint, trying to see who it was. 

Ben recognized Rey and the kids in the speedboat, along with Rose, Finn and Poe. Happiness filled his chest to bursting and he couldn’t contain the smile from spreading across his lips. 

“Rey!” he shouted with his hands cupped around his mouth.

“Ben!” she shouted back. 

He laughed, unable to stop himself. The laughter grew even more when he heard her shout again. 

“Arturo!”

Ben shoved his hands through his hair, and felt incredibly elated.  _ She came after me. _

Still laughing, he called out in response. “Catarina!”

Rey and the kids then started calling out a mixed chorus of “Dad” and “Ben”, jumping up and down on the speedboat. 

Suddenly the ship started turning. He looked up in panic and saw Snoke standing at the rudder, continuously pushing the captain away and even punching him . He then watched as Snoke ordered another man to take over. Snoke stormed outside again, heading his way.    
  


The ship kept turning away, and the shouting from the children and Rey turned frantic, as if they couldn’t believe he was leaving. Although he couldn’t understand the words or couldn’t see their actual expressions, he could see their movements.    
  


Snoke came closer by the second. He passed by a door and all of a sudden, as if conjured by magic, it opened rather brusquely. It slammed into Snoke’s side with a mighty thrust and the old man went overboard. Ben instinctively ran towards the railing to see if everything was alright.    
  


Snoke was shouting out in rage and looked up at Ben, yelling obscenities that would make a sailor blush. Ben ignored him and turned away to see Mitaka untying a buoy.    
  


“I do apologize, sir. It seems that this particular door needs a bit of maintenance. For a while there it seemed rather stuck. I really had to put my shoulder against it to get it to open.” 

Ben laughed at the angelic look of fake innocence on Mitaka’s face. “That’s quite alright, Mitaka. Just order some WD-40 and it’ll be fine. Now if you’ll excuse me.” Ben turned away and walked to the edge. He started to put his foot on the railing when Mitaka halted him. 

“I’m sorry, Sir, but I cannot allow you to do that.”

Ben felt irritation bubble up. He turned around to tell Mitaka off when the steward surprised him yet once again. He stood right in front of him, holding a bright orange contraption. 

“Not without a life jacket.”

Ben was oddly moved by the gesture. “Come see us sometime,” he said after he’d put the life jacket on.    
  


“I certainly will, Sir.” Ben saluted Mitaka and, without further ado, jumped right into the water, swimming to the woman he loved.    
  
Rey watched as Ben put on a life jacket and jumped into the water. After the whole ordeal with the boat and the obvious fight between Ben and his boss and then his boss going overboard, Rey was holding out for the worst.    
  


But then he jumped, and Rey could barely contain her heart from leaping from her chest at the mere sight. Ben was swimming towards her. He was coming back for her and all would be well.    
  


“Stay in the boat,” she said. The kids didn’t argue for once.    
  


Rey got up and jumped in the ocean as well. She swam towards Ben as fast as she could. They met halfway between the two vessels and Ben instantly drew her in his arms. 

“I am so sorry,” Rey sobbed, tears streaming down her face. “I am so sorry I lied to you. I never meant for the whole thing to get so out of hand, but everything just felt so right and so natural, and I lost sight of what was real and what wasn’t and then I fell so incredibly in love with…”

Ben silenced her by pulling her closer and planting his lips firmly on hers. He kissed her deeply, as if she were the only thing he craved in the world, and held her as if she were the most precious thing in the entire universe. When he drew back and stared into her eyes, more tears escaped. 

“I really am sorry,” she whispered. “And I really do love you.” 

Ben’s perfect lips parted in a bright smile. His eyes sparkled with mischief and humor. “I know.” 

With those words, he claimed her lips again and didn’t let her go until Poe had steered his speedboat right next to them. They climbed on board and were wrapped in towels and blankets immediately.    
  


Ben glanced back at the ship and saw they were hoisting Snoke up. He caught Mitaka’s eye and the Brit saluted him again. Ben returned the gesture right before the little speedboat revved up and then took off towards the shore. They stared back at the ship solemnly until Han’s voice sounded. 

“Aren’t you going to miss it?” he asked seriously. “The money and the cruiser and the flashy lifestyle?” 

Ben smiled at the boy he considered his own son and felt his heart expand in his chest. “Nah,” he started with a lopsided grin. “Everything I need is right here on this boat. Besides,” he muttered as he wrapped his arm around Rey and pulled her closer to him while balancing Lucy who was crawling unto his lap, “why would I miss it if it’s not gone?”

“What do you mean by that?” Rey asked with a frown on her face.

“Well, Sweetheart, the thing is…” Ben said with a deep sigh as he leaned back a little, “about a year and a half ago, First Order Enterprises got into a bit of money trouble. They were almost ruined in fact. They had to sell off eighty percent of their shares to survive. Those shares were bought up by a benign investor who wished to stay anonymous for personal reasons.” Ben gave Rey a sly look and a grin that just spelled trouble with a capital T. 

“No way,” Rey whispered and shook her head in disbelief. 

“It’s all mine, really. The ship, the condo’s, the cars, the company— All of it.”

“Holy shit, does that mean we’re rich?” Han shouted. 

“Are you serious?” Leia chimed in. 

“Hey Kid, watch the language! You passed your English test with flying colors, so we all know you have better vocabulary than that,” Ben admonished sternly, surprising everyone on that boat. 

“Yes, Sir,” Han muttered, bright red splotches on his cheeks. 

“But to answer your questions, yes, I am being serious, and yes, you are. Or rather, you will be once your mother marries me.” He looked down at Rey and smiled.    
  


“I didn’t know the offer was still standing,” she whispered, sorrow and happiness mixing in her features. 

“It most definitely is, Rey. When I make a promise, I keep my word.”

She lowered her gaze and thought for a moment. “Then I guess there’s only one more question that remains,” she said softly. 

“And what might that be?” 

“You’ve given me so much. What do I give you in return? What can I give you what you haven’t already got?” 

Ben looked around the boat, at the faces of all the people that had grown so incredibly important to him. He watched the eyes of the children he loved like his own shimmer with happiness and relief. He then turned and looked down into the face of this incredible woman, who had been cast on his path by Fate and who had changed his entire outlook on life. As he looked into her hazel eyes, he knew exactly what it was that she could give him. 

“How about another son?” he said softly as he grazed his knuckles over her cheekbones. “To even out the numbers in our home.”

Fresh tears sprung in her eyes and they trailed down her cheeks as she smiled up at him radiantly. “I think that sounds like a wonderful idea.”

They missed the outcries of disagreement from Han and Leia, for their lips met once again, and all was right with the world.    
  


And to think all of this started and ended with going overboard.    
  
The End

**Author's Note:**

> I am very curious to find out what you thought of this story.  
> It may not have been my finest work, but I am nevertheless extremely proud of it.  
> I hope you enjoyed it. If you did too, don't be afraid to leave me a comment or hit the kudos button. I will appreciate it a lot more than I will ever be able to tell and will definitely get back to you asap! 
> 
> Ps: little extra note:  
> While I wrote this, the wonderful mods told me time and time again that they did not understand my choice for the children('s names).  
> I understand their point of view, but this is something that stuck in my brain and my heart. 
> 
> I chose Han, Leia and Lucy (Luke) very deliberately.  
> I wanted them to be the catalyst in this story, the ones that bring about a change of heart, as they were in the ST. I hope that you can somehow agree with me, and if you want me to elaborate on my train of thoughts, be sure to hit me up! I'll be more than happy to explain.


End file.
